Benign Stupors: A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction TypeHoch, August
Science
Benign Stupors: A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction Type
Hoch, August
Manic-depressive illness; Stupor
_Under Observation:_ The patient’s condition lasted for
about two years. Much of the time she lay in bed, often
with the covers pulled over her, sometimes with her legs
drawn up, again in a more natural, comfortable position, or
she sat up with her head bowed. She obeyed almost no
commands. For months she soiled and wet herself, but never
drooled. For a time she refused food consistently, lost
flesh and had to be tube-fed. For the most part she said
very little and, when one accosted her, she was apt to turn
away. A few times, when further urged, she swore at the
examiner. There was also persistent marked resistance
towards any interference, sometimes merely passive or quite
often, especially at first, with wriggling or severe
scratching of her own body. There was often with this
evidence of irritation or she moaned. Again she was
described as quite affectless. One of the most striking
features throughout a large part of the course were her
suicidal attempts. She would try to strike her head against
the iron bedpost, throw herself out of bed, throw herself
about generally, try to strangle herself with the sheets,
try to pull out her tongue, all of which seemed to be done
with great impulsiveness. Almost her only utterances had to
do with death. She said she wanted to die, wanted to drop
dead, did not want to live, wanted to kill herself, that
she did not eat because she wanted to die. When once she
was found tossing about and was asked whether she worried,
she said “I know I am going to die.” (You mean you will be
killed?) “I don’t care.”
There were a few episodes which still have to be mentioned.
Quite early in the course of the stupor, when she was
restless, scratching herself and moaning, she once spoke
quite freely. She said “Give me that fellow (Harry), I
don’t care, I can’t help it. I must have him, even if it
costs me my life.” “I would feel happy if I could get him.
O God, I love him--I will never get him even if I drop
dead, I know I won’t get him, the darling” (cries). (What
if you did get him?) “I know I would lose him again.” Then
with shame she claimed she had had sexual relations with
him (when well, denied). At the same interview, when the
doctor sneezed, she said “Gesundheit.” In June, 1914, she
was seen smiling at times. But the first was the only
episode when she spoke more freely, and the two occasions
the only ones when she showed a frank affect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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