1929年のイギリスで、心理学を学び、人気がある精神療法の治療所を経営していたバーンズなる人物の患者が、『神経衰弱への挑戦』というタイトルで、自分が受けた治療の原理がわかるような記述をしている。
それによれば、神経衰弱という状態は、無意識が、本来はその人物のしもべであるべきなのに、恐怖を通じて、その人物を支配している状態であるという。意識は、これと戦わなければならないのに、その勇気をなくしている。だから、かわりに、バーンズが無意識と戦うというのである。ここでは「あなた（＝患者）は、将棋の駒にすぎない。本当の戦いは、私（＝治療者）とあなたの無意識の間に起きている」という。そして、無意識は、バーンズよりも強力な相手とは争ったことはなく、打ち負かされると知っているという。
これは、悪魔つきと悪魔祓いのロジックとまったく同形である。悪魔が恐怖を通じて僭主となり、司祭がそれと戦う。患者自身の役割はそこにはない。
Armitage, Doris Mary, Challenge to Neurasthenia (Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons, 1929)
L.S. Barnes’s patient. Barnes learned psychology and treated neurasthenia.
1.That his illness is not due entirely to nerves, but that he really has some organic disease (either physical or mental)
2.That if “nerves”, his failure to recover under costly treatment proves that he is too weak-willed to make the effort necessary for his cure.
3.That he is mad.
4.That no matter which the explanation, there is no help for him.
16-17
2.That if “nerves”, his failure to recover under costly treatment proves that he is too weak-willed to make the effort necessary for his cure.
3.That he is mad.
4.That no matter which the explanation, there is no help for him.
16-17
“Your subconscious mind,” he could say in effect, “has temporally assumed the upper hand and is now ruling you through fear. He has no business to be in this position at all. He is your servant and not your master. Let us, for the sake of argument, put it this way. Your life is temporarily being run by an imposter, who has managed to persuade you that he is stronger than you are. I am here to prove to you that this is not the case; that he is a usurper whose claims to power will bear no intelligent scrutiny.” 22
“You are only a pawn; this is a battle between your subconscious mind and me. Your subconscious mind had never been up against anyone like me before, and he knows he is beaten.” 22-3
It was the Doctor’s experience that all neurasthenics pitied the credulity of others for believing in their particular fears. 43
