Hypnosis used as treatment for shellshock?

• by SarahPowell

  In the Secunderabad Cavalry Field Ambulance diary at http://talk.operationwardiary.org/#/subjects/AWD0002vlt it refers to 'a case suffering from what appears functional pains all over the body' being put under treatment by hypnotic suggestion. I really wonder if this is a case of shellshock being treated by hypnosis. Any views?

  Posted November 5, 2014 2:02 PM

• by ral104 moderator, scientist

  Very interesting! I really don't know whether this would be shellshock or not, but I wonder whether the use of hypnosis was something peculiar to this officer/unit, the Indian Army, or whether it was used more widely.

  Posted November 5, 2014 2:42 PM

• by SarahPowell

  I've found a reference to a doctor called Charles Myers who was appointed by the British Army to tackle the problem of shellshcok, and did use hypnosis to treat shellshocked victims in the field - see http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/06/shell-shocked.aspx. So perhaps it was something that filtered through to this field ambulance. I'll see what else I can dig up.

  Posted November 5, 2014 4:37 PM