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ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
http://www.archive.org/details/abnormalpsycholoOOcori
ABNOEMAL PSYCHOLOGY
BY
ISADOR
Second Assistant Physrcian
Hospital.
H.
CORIAT, M.D.
Nervous System, Boston City
/
Copyright,
1910,
by
AH
Bights Reserved
TO
DR.
MORTON PRINCE
WORK
CONTENTS
PAGE
Intkoduction
vii
PART
What
1.
is
the Subconscious?
...
.
3 3
2.
the Sub.
.
3.
in
.
14<
4.
How
the
Subconscious
Becomes
Diseased
II.
22
III.
IV. V.
VI.
... ...
.
28
42
67
Dreams
VSThat
is
.......
.
.88
109 132
VII. VIII.
Hypnosis.?
Analysis of the
Mental Life
.151
163
The Psycho-Analysis
Hysteria
V
of a Case of
vi
CONTENTS
PART
II
PAGE
Losses of
Memory
177
11.
III.
IV.
....
.
195
208
216 233 273
V.
VI.
Hysteria
PSYCHASTHENIA
.....
.
VII.
Neurasthenia
Index
298
316
VIII.
Psycho-Epileptic Attacks
323
INTRODUCTION
Abnormal
psychology, or the study of ab-
normal mental phenomena, is one of the late developments of scientific medicine. It is not
a mere fad, as some of its critics would attempt to make us believe, neither has it sprung up
like
normal psychology is the outcome of the of small groups of investigators in France, Germany, and America, within the last twentyfive years. Beginning with a study of the phenomena of hypnosis, these researches gradually developed into a series of brilliant psychological
discoveries.
is
Abwork
of
these
the
principle
or
of
In a general way we
speak of these matters as the theory of the subconscious. This theory has not only thrown
an immense amount of
light
human
ena,
such
as
of
memory
amnesia,
dis-
neurasthenia, hysteria,
vii
psychasthenia,
viii
INTRODUCTION
rounded them for centuries. These phenomena, even more than the modern investigations on the ultimate nature of matter, form the " fairyApart from any scientific land of science." knowledge, the general reader has a certain interest in these problems, either from curiosity
or the light they shed upon
human personahty
surround them. Abnormal psychology has also its practical Its discoveries have made possible the aspects. psychic treatment of certain functional nervous disorders. Technically, this is known as psychotherapeutics.
tional states
The
is
based on the principle of the But psychotheradissociation of consciousness. peutics would be in a very chaotic condition and
barren of results, were
it
and
in
psychological
character,
journals
of
highly
specialized
thereby
making
as
known,
It
is
INTRODUCTION
was
written.
ix
In
field,
it
an attempt
will
be made, not
and experiments
be added.
of the sub-
Most
modern theory
is
While there
no
it is
consensus
of
admitted by
or
disso-
psychologists
that
subconscious
Whether
these states
depend upon psychological or physiological activities, or whether they are normal or abnormal conditions, seems to be the chief ground of contention.
from the
absent-mindedness of everyday
life
to the phe-
nomena of hysteria and multiple personality. Before we can comprehend the more complicated aspects of subconscious mental states we must have a clear understanding of their simpler manifestations. The evidence seems to show
that subconscious mental states are not always
difficult
For
in psychology as in pathol-
INTRODUCTION
may
dislife.
On
of
the
other
hand,
such
manifestations
or
as
hysteria
or
multiple
are
personality
losses
memory
distinctly
pathological
con-
ditions.
may
not be
we must
We
must understand
to grasp the
we can hope
Without adopting this method, we would become lost in a maze of psychological After we have learned, so to speak, theories. the grammar of abnormal psychology, by this meaning the psychopathology of everyday life,
abnormal.
we
work on
discussed
amnesia, mulwill be
tiple personality,
These subjects
dissociated
field
mental
states,
of psychical research.
We
and
INTRODUCTION
that there
tions.
is
xi
parts,
is, therefore, divided into two which are indicated by the titles " The Exploration of the Subconscious " and the
This volume
Subconscious."
In the
first
nomena
in general,
of analyzing these
objective
facts.
we will pass to the methods phenomena and making them The second section will be
dis-
due to perversions of subconscious mental states. In general what can psychotherapy, in its purely practicable aspects learn from these complex theories? What can psychotherapy do and how does it do it? That the principles are
eminently practicable
shown by the results of psychotherapy. The modern concepts of the principles of mental dissociation and mental synthesis, of subconscious and unconscious menis
tal states
were the forces which were responsible for the birth of this new psychology in its pracPopular ideas ticable application to medicine. on suggestion are so loose and vague that a
restatement
of
the
scientific
principles
upon
which suggestion is based may have a certain value. It seems to be the general idea that suggestion is a kind of magic wand in the hand