RE: Thesis Project about Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening

Chris Kammerer, modified 1 Year ago at 1/11/23 2:41 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/11/23 2:41 PM

Thesis Project about Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening

Posts: 3 Join Date: 1/11/23 Recent Posts
Greetings everyone!

My name is Chris Kammerer. I'm a graduate student in the Journalism school at UNC-Chapel Hill. For my thesis project, I'm writing three journalistic pieces about psychosis. The first one looks at the typical Western psychological approach to psychotic disorders and episodes. The second article looks at mysticism--especially Zen--to explore what, if any, overlap there is between mystical experiences and psychotic experiences. For that article, I'm using some of the stories that the Korean Zen master Seung Sahn told about how past Zen masters reached enlightenment. In many of those stories, people behaved in ways that seem very similar to what our culture would call a psychotic episode . A couple ways you could help:
  1. If you yourself have had a psychotic episode, I'd love to interview you. I had a few episodes during my 20s. During my first major episode, Zen teachings both exacerbated some of my delusions and helped me find my way out of them. If this is something you're interested in, I can absolutely keep you anonymous.
  2. If you know of any stories from Zen texts, Dharma talks, or any other sources about people who experienced severe mental distress, hallucinations, or delusions, send em my way. Stories from other traditions are welcome, too. My last article looks at Indigenous shamanic traditions, so connections to any of those communities would be helpful.
  3. I'm looking for meditation teachers who have worked with people experiencing psychosis. Or mental health professionals who have some expertise in this area. If you are one or know of one who would be good for me to talk to, send me their info.
  4. Any other connections, suggestions or leads you have for me, please reach out.
Feel free to comment here, send me a private message, or email me at ckammerer33@gmail.com
Thanks so much!
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Jim Smith, modified 1 Year ago at 1/11/23 4:45 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/11/23 4:33 PM

RE: Thesis Project about Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening

Posts: 1639 Join Date: 1/17/15 Recent Posts
If you haven't seen this I think it might be of interest to you:

http://web.archive.org/web/20160213012433/http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2011/09/bg-232-the-dark-night-project/

It is a transcript of an interview Willoughby Britton did on buddhistgeeks.com.

An article on pennlive.com describes how a meditation retreat caused a woman to kill herself:

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/06/york_county_suicide_megan_vogt.html

I am curious, as a journalist are you going to take a neutral position just reporting facts or are you going to try to assign blame or advocate for change? It boggles my mind that some teachers know there is a serious problem with their students developing mental illnesses but they seem to accept it.  Journalists have at time played a role in reform movements and I think the Buddhist movement needs reforming with regard to the number of psychiatric patients it produces.  If you read the Willoughby Britton interview it seems obvious that these patients were taught a technique that when practiced all day, day after day, on retreats led to brain damage (abnormal neural connections that cause them to become functionally impaired).

(And I assume you are aware of the debate on whether psychiatry is science or voodoo - google can get you more info).
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Chris M, modified 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 8:04 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 8:04 AM

RE: Thesis Project about Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening

Posts: 5116 Join Date: 1/26/13 Recent Posts
You should contact the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium. This will put you in touch with many people (physicians, researchers, etc.) seriously working with the things you're interested in. It may also save you a lot of time and effort, assuming they're ready to assist you.

- Chris M
DhO Moderator
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Chris M, modified 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 8:10 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 8:10 AM

RE: Thesis Project about Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening

Posts: 5116 Join Date: 1/26/13 Recent Posts
Also, I'm curious about what led you to DhO. A referral of some sort?

TIA!
Chris Kammerer, modified 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 1:34 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 1:33 PM

RE: Thesis Project about Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening

Posts: 3 Join Date: 1/11/23 Recent Posts
Hey Jim,

Thanks for the links! Will definitely check those out.

I don't really think it's ever possible to be neutral. I study conflicting points of view and it's impossible not to eventually feel partial to one perspective or another. Even if you end up landing somewhere in the middle of a debate, that's not exactly a neutral stance. I do try to drop my biases constantly, though, and open up to every viewpoint that I can.

I don't know if I've come across anything in this research yet that leads me to want to blame anyone. I think there are a lot of problems with the Western psychological approach to mental disorder, and that's a huge part of what's motivating me on this project. That said, I have family members and friends who work in mental health, and all of them recognize that there are issues in the field and how it's practiced. Modern psychology is still a very young practice--only in the last few decades have schools begun emphasizing "evidence-based practices" to their students. So yeah, there's plenty of criticism going around even within the field of psychology/psychiatry. Clearly the way pharmaceutical companies pursue profits and spin their narratives is a major problem--I could probably throw some blame in their direction. Also, the way our society is structured is not conducive to self-care and doesn't allow people the space and time they need to heal from a crisis. Perhaps that's why a lot of Americans reactively swing too far in the opposite direction and go on these intensive retreats without considering the potential dangers.

Looking forward to learning more about the debates within Buddhist communities about what's ethical and safe for meditation. I know from experience that there is a dark side to this kind of inner exploration. 

Cheers and Thanks!
Chris
Chris Kammerer, modified 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 1:48 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/12/23 1:48 PM

RE: Thesis Project about Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening

Posts: 3 Join Date: 1/11/23 Recent Posts
Ah, that link to the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium is fantastic. Definitely will reach out to those folks.

Also, I found DhO through Pierce Salguero's lecture on meditation sickness on YouTube.

Thanks for the link and for the work y'all do here.
Chris

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