Newspapers / The Franklin Times (Louisburg, … / Nov. 18, 1969, edition 1 / Page 8
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Hallucinations ? What They Mean New York (NAPS) ? Many ? motorist driving at night has suddenly jammed on his brakes because he was posi tive he saw a child crossing the road. What he saw was probably an optical illusion. But it may have been a genuine hallucination, \ be cause nearly all of us have had them in one form or another, whether it was some thing we saw, heard, or smell ed. Actually, hallucinations can be induced in many ways -by drunkenness, over a nx iety, or mental disorders. But it is the latter that is most serious and therefore has re ceived the closest attention of psychiatrists who are groping for rational explanations for these hallucinations. Before examining some of the findings, however, let's first define hallucination and see how it differs from an optical illusion. Ai> optical illusion is a visual misinterpre tation of an object. For in stance, how many times have you thought you were going to drive right into a puddle. FINCH'S REMNANT SHOP FALL CLEARANCE SALE Polyester Knits Dacron & Cotton 4 yds. 1.00 Unbleached Domestic yd. 150 Cotton Knit 4 yds. 1.00 EXCELLENT FOR SLEEPWEAR Upholstery yd. 2.00 Faked Fur yd. 2.98 Bonded Wools & Acrylics yd. 2.98 Kettle Cloth solid & prints yd. 1.49 Washable Double Knits yd. 2.00 Upholstery Remnants 2 yds. 1.00 Highway 561, 5 Miles From Louisburg In reality there is no puddle. But there is a reflection from the sky that produces the optical illusion of a puddle. An hallucination, on the other hand, is a perception which does not come either from external cause or stim uli. For instance, if a drunk sees a crocodile chasing him and calls for the police, he is hallucinating. There is no crocodile, no chase, and no misinterpretation of an ob ject. Generally, a good night's sleep will put the drinker's mind in order. However, if there is a con stant repetition of an halluci nation either visual or oral then the visions are the symptoms of a mentally dis turbed person. A distinguish* ed prostestant theologian, Dr. Ernst Benz, professor of Christian Dogmatics at Mar burg University, .Germany, has made an interesting analy sis of such, phenomena men tioned in the Bible and in the annals of science (Dreams, Hallucinations, Visions, Swedenborg Foundation, New York 1968). Interesting ly, some studies written over two hundred years ago have proved quite helpful to psychologists in treating these individuals. Recently, the chief psychologist as Men docino State Hospital and currently Director of Drug Control in the California State Department of Mental Hygiene, Dr. Wilson Van Dusen, noticed that his clinical findings on the sub ject of hallucinations con formed to those of the 18th century scientist-theologian, Now Open FRANKLIN INSURANCE AGENCY 346 South Bickett Blvd. Louisburg, N. C. "COMPLETE INSURANCE SERVICES" Automobile, Sub-Standard Automobile Assigned RisK- Complete Financing Hospital Homeowners Fire Life ' LOCATED IN STRICKLAND AUTO BUILDING DIAL 496-5615 Charles T. Eaves Joe K. Parks Tommy Morton Emanuel Sweden borg (Vin Dusen: The Presence of Spirits in Madness, Sweden borg Foundation, New York 1968). Dr. Van Dusen found that Swedenborg's insights ac tually delineated and defined many typical responses and patterns of behavior in cases where hallucinatory "voices" were heard by their victims. Swedenborg actually indi cated the intervention of Spirits acting through the subject-displacing his own personality and possessing him. Such was the case when Dr. Van Dusen interviewed the mentally distrubed about their hallucinations. He found two categories of these voices: lower order and higher order. The lower order voices (which closely resemble Freud's id) generally tease, torment, threaten, cajole, and entreat. For instance, they tell a victim to raise his right hand in the air, and then if he does, they tease him for being so stupid. Dr. Van Dusen found the limited vocabulary and range of ideas of the lower order to be quite strik ing. A few ideas can be re peated endlessly. One voice just said "hey" for a few months, while the patient tried to figure out what "hey" or "hay" meant. In direct contrast stand the rarer "higher order" hal lucinations. The higher order is much more likely to be religious, supportive, gen uinely instructive, and com municate directly with the inner feelings of the patient. In one encounter with "higher order" voices, a love ly woman entertained a male patient while showing him thousands of symbols. Though the patient was only a high school educated pipe fitter, his female vision show ed a knowledge of religion and myth far beyond the patient's understanding. All of Swedenborg's obser vations on the effect of evil spirits entering man's con ciousness conformed to Dr. Van Dusen's findings. Swed enborg also went on to say that spirits could impersonate and deceive, litis accounted for the puzzling fact that patients said the voices could shift sound and identity as You wouldn't select your new 1970 car witnom looking around. The same should apply to financing. First-Citizens has the Can-Do loan specialists who provide prompt, efficient economical service. One more reason why you should see First-Citizens first for the best bank rate financing possible. first ifhI citizens TSfir bank JHt CAN DO BAftK WlfH J HI CAN DO PlOPLi' (? Bmnk ? Truai Comply 1009 I they spoke, miking it impos sible to identify them. It is rather remarkable that in over two centuries of time, men of very different cul tures, working under entirely different circumstances, on quite different people could come to such similar findings. Yet even today, the cause of a patient's hallucination is still considered beyond the knowledge of psychologists. For although researchers have made definite progress in cor relating information about patients and about hallucina tions. and in comparing pat terns of behavior and pin pointing problem areas, they still have not been able to agree on what triggers the mind to hallucinate. They de bate whether the problem is a psychological or physiological one. They do stress, however, that hallucinations embrace all five of the senses: auditory (hearing), visual (sight), ol factory (smell), tactile (touch), and gustatory (taste). And they do remind us that while repeated halluci nations are often the symp toms of a mentally disturbred person, it would be totally irresponsible to classify as mentally ill all those who experience hallucinations, whether they are chemically or drug induced, occur under emotional stress, during deep concentration, or profound meditation. Cuba & Sugar Miami - In a speech, which was monitored in Miami recently, Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro reports his goal of 10 million tons of sugar in the 1970 harvest despite efforts by "imper ialists" to drain his techni cians. He was addressing a graduating class of farm tech nicians in Santa Clara CARPET NEEDS VISIT TAYUOrt'S. FLOOR COVERING SHOP FEATURING Mohawk 25 DIFFERENT CARPET SAMPLES TO CHOOSE FROM PRICE FROM 53.95 TO $17.95 SQ. YD CARPETS FOR HOMES AND CHURCHES FREE ESTIMATES I HARDWARE l FURMITUK \ Army To Make Test Sunnyvale, Cal. - the Twister, a new cross between a Jeep and a tank, will soon get its first test by the Army. The eight-wheel vehicle can attain a speed of 65 miles an hour with a smooth ride over rough terrain, according to the Lockheed Missiles & Space Company Embezzlemral Bonanza \h\\ YORK? 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The Franklin Times (Louisburg, N.C.)
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Nov. 18, 1969, edition 1
8
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