Observations placeholder
Polio
Identifier
001365
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Dr. Grassian was a Board Certified Psychiatrist who was on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School for over twenty-five years.
These are his words, but it is a shame he did not record the actual experiences the people had. As far as Dr Grassian was concerned, the people were 'psychotic', but in fact they were having spiritual experiences and it may have helped a great deal with their healing.
Florid hallucinations and delusions actually sound pleasant to me, especially if they result in a diminishing of pain and a sense of release.
A description of the experience
From Psychiatric Effects of Solitary Confinement - Stuart Grassian
Polio patients confined to tank-type respirators have become psychotic as a direct result of such confinement; moreover, they became more ill, with more florid hallucinations and delusions, at night when sensory input was diminished.