Psych patients psychic??

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

I was pleasantly browsing at the libary today, as I wasn't called in to work. Well I decided to browse the Grow area of books, which covers health, true stories, etc. I borrowed a book by a well-known UK psychic (hadn't heard of him). He met a psych patient years ago who had been admitted for supposed schizophrenia. The UK author thought this diagnosis was wrong, and he was thinking that many psych patients who have auditory and visual hallucinations are probably psychic.

I think his thoughts have real merit. I have met many patients who I think this could apply to. Of course I would never say to anyone not to get checked out. Many patients have told me about 'people' they have seen (I'll call them ghosts here), and re auditory hallucinations, not always bad, and some have a 'special ghost' or 'spririt' that follows them around & which gives them advice. I suppose doctors would dismiss this theory as, I presume, there's no research on the subject, and there's no way to prove it.

What do you think of this theory? It just sparked my interest as I was reading.

[deso35]

There are just some things science couldn't explain, like the witches and witch doctors who can plant curses on those who steal farm animals in our province (in the Philippines), who can heal the sick, or who can even make someone fall in love with another person. They're perfectly normal for me but probably when they'll be sent to be studied by scientists, they'll just be branded as crazy or something. Professionals in our modern world can just quickly dismiss it as not factual and have no scientific basis but the thing is I have seen and experience it [being healed].

Hmm..Well what I can say for now is that we just have to be open-minded at all times. I'm also interested in those mysterious stuffs and wonder if I can apply it also when I'm rendering nursing care to my patients [in the future ].

[Orange Tree]

I'm not sure a psychic is competent to "undiagnose" anybody of anything. I think the book should probably be burned, and maybe the psychic should be too.

[Davey Do]

The Author's premise needs to be considered, but information is not available to warrant a misdiagnosis. Individuals are not given a diagnosis of Schizophrenia merely because they have had some sort of psychic experience.

A Patient I had dealings with had two rather clairvoyant experiences with me. I truly respected and liked this Patient. However, their abilities, nor my feelings toward them, changed the fact that this Patient overtly manifested symptoms of a Mental Illness.

Dave

[ccoombs]

I have a previous degree in Anthropology so I have an interest in cultural and supernatural explanations for mental illness. I work in southwest georgia and it is not uncommon to hear schizophrenic patients say that a "root" has been put on them. For people unfamiliar with the term a root is curse of sorts, that is prevalent in southern African-American mythology.

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

Psychic? Perhaps. Do psychics exist? Sookie Stackhouse is psychic so it must be true. Open the door to accepting psychics and it'll be a hard one to close. Few in science will admit it as a possiblity. I personally don't see it as a possibility although I can't articulate why.

Similarly, many will dismiss demonic possession and instead label it as some sort of mental illness. Is this true? The faithful will believe so although readily admit it isn't always the case or cause. What do you say? I do think this happens because I believe in the Word. Does it make me any any less of a scientific practitioner? I don't think so particularly now would many in my part of the U.S., but many others on this board would. Kudos to them. Follow your heart, but sometimes it leads to the wrong place.