Advanced suggestion (neuroinduction) / by Haydn Brown.

  • Brown, Haydn, 1864-1936.
Date:
1921
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Advanced suggestion (neuroinduction) / by Haydn Brown. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Fear of Heights. Great heights arouse unpleasant feelings in most normal people. They cause thoughts as to what would happen should a fall occur. A “shiver” of fear sent through the sympathetic nervous system of a child, if severe, may implant negative sensations of a per¬ manent character, especially if undue sensitiveness has existed from birth. Later in life a temporary loss of tone provides a favourable soil. Those who are not permanently affected are more robust as to their nervous constitutions, being able to break away from any spell to a normal sense of security, once they have had time to reason things out. Normally a person may feel a momentary shock, but he will very soon correct this by the thought that such and such is really safe. The steeplejack is a man who is so intent upon his work, and the payment he will receive for it, that he is able to concentrate his mind on what real security exists, as he has good reason to see and to know it, feeling it all the time under his foot. In time he becomes quite accustomed to relying upon it in prac¬ tice ; he is thus in no mood for being afraid at any time. In treating this phobia it is useful to get the victim to perform an act which is of such a nature as will divert his thoughts, while it is at the same time opposed to his prevailing dread. A patient sent to me by a distin¬ guished consultant had been suffering from nervous breakdown. Among various other dreads he was incapable of going down ordinary flights of stairs;