Insanity Caused by Dianetics (HCOB 500701)

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One case was reported wherein Dianetic therapy was claimed to have unstabilized the mind of a patient and had precipitated a psychosis.

The case was immediately brought to the Foundation for observation. The patient, a middle-aged woman, demonstrated manic-depressive symptoms, was disassociated and manifested nymphomania.

It was ascertained that therapy had been in progress when the case suddenly experienced a psychotic break and thereafter exhibited insanity. A ten-day period of observation of the patient ensued and the Foundation auditors were able to reach a recent incident which accounted for the precipitation of her psychosis. She had evidently been beaten, hypnotized and brutalized by a university psychologist with whom she had apparently been having an affair.

The patient had had psychotic breaks previous to the advent of Dianetics. Dianetic therapy is currently being applied by her husband and the patient is showing gradual improvement according to his last report, her dramatization being limited now to the remaining portion of the incident which caused her last break.

Findings

The psychotic break of this patient was due to actions of persons in her environment, not to Dianetic therapy. The exact cause of the break was brutality on the part of a person who had placed the patient in an hypnotic trance with intent to cause insanity but without knowledge of Dianetics. That Dianetic therapy was in progress at the time had no bearing on the case.

Document information

Document type: Precautionary Bulletin

Date: 1 July 1950

Author: L. Ron Hubbard

Original document

Insanity Caused by Dianetics