Induction of illusory and hallucinatory voices with considerations of behaviour therapy.

Abstract

In recent years interest has attached to the fact that experiences allied to those described by patients during acute schizophrenic illnesses can be induced in normal people by the use of certain drugs, sometimes called “hallucinogens”. In so far as these drugs have caused hallucinations, however, they have induced predominantly visual hallucinations, whereas in schizophrenia the outstanding hallucinations are auditory ones, of voices—often making remarks in the third person singular, sometimes making apparently senseless or absurd remarks. In this paper, attention is drawn to means whereby non-schizophrenic persons can be caused to experience hallucinatory and illusory voices by primarily psychological and not pharmacological techniques. These techniques are also applicable to normal volunteers, but this paper will deal with first experiences of them during the treatment of some sexual deviants and alcohol addicts.