Comprehensive approach to ecclesiogenic neuroses∗

Abstract

Many sexual neuroses with erotic manifestations are due to erroneous religious taboos and are, therefore, primarily of origin. I shall briefly discuss their causation, symptomatology and comprehensive management by the physician and clergyman. The term ecclesiogenic, to identify this type of neurosis, first was introduced in 1955 by Dr. Eberhard Schaetzing, a Berlin physician. Highly placed Protestant and Catholic authorities consider the term an appropriate one for designating this type of neurosis. This disturbance occurs far more often than generally realized not only among the laity but also among the clergy. Dr. Klaus Thomas (1966), a West German psychiatrist-clergyman, with over 20 years of pastoral counseling experience in sexual problems, notes that 90% of 186 neurotic pastors had sexual problems typical of the ecclesiogenic syndrome, whereas only 27% of other professions suffered similar emotional illnesses. Thus it appears that this neurosis might well be classified as a vocational disease. Dr. Gelolo McHugh (Thomas, 1966), a psychologist at Duke University, has noted that many clergymen and church workers cannot help themselves in regard to sexual problems and are inadequate for counseling others in these areas. Unfortunately, these clergymen, since they already are fatherconfessors to their parishioners, are usually the first to be contacted by them for these problems. When such persons finally see their family doctor, the complaints are invariably treated by medical measures. The family physician, too, usually lacks the necessary time to care for this type of patient by psychotherapy or even work together with the experienced clergyman. Often, too, the correct diagnosis is overlooked. However, the chronicity and bewildering array of presenting complaints are presumptive evidence for an ecclesiogenic neurosis. Later * Read before the Third Annual Meeting of the International Society for Comprehensive Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, October 8th, 1966. The Goodrich C. Schauffler M.D. Memorial Address.