Grofians Unauthorized
Discussion Group
Grofian Peyotists
Critical Situations in Psychedelic Sessions - Part V
The following excerpts are from
LSD PSYCHOTHERAPY. Grof, S. 1980
ISBN 0-89793-166-1
http://www.promind.com/bk_lps.htm
--excerpts from Chapter 5:
[Aggression, Physical Manifestations, and Breathing Difficulties]
"One of the most important areas for psychedelic therapists to deal with is the various forms of 'hostility and aggression.' If the sessions are conducted in the framework of a good working relationship, real technical problems with aggressive manifestations are extremely infrequent, even in sessions in which destructive tendencies are predominant. In most instances it is possible to maintain a synergistic relationship even in the context of intense psychodramatic struggle. Most of the technical problems occur when the sitters get physically involved with . . . subjects in a playful fight which involves pressing, pushing, restricting, and sometimes inflicting pain. Under these circumstances, it is absolutely essential to redefine the 'as if' framework and prevent the situation from becoming absolutely real and serious for the subject. A skillful combination of verbal communication and metacommunication can keep the play in that territory of experiential ambiguity which seems to be optimal for therapeutic work. On the one hand, the situation has to be sufficiently real for the subject to allow his or her full involvement and release of emotions; on the other hand, it must not be so real as to be mistaken for a dangerous or traumatic situation. Maintaining a trusting relationship has to be the primary consideration.
In contrast to the frequency, intensity and scope of experiences involving aggression, elemental and uncontrolled acting-out of destructive tendencies is extremely rare in supervised LSD sessions. When a situation of this kind seems to be impending, the best approach is to encourage external expression in a cooperative framework, as described above. Another effective technique is to relate to the deeper level of anxiety, hurt, and helplessness usually underlying aggressive phenomena. Thus, comfort and reassurance can sometimes have an almost magical influence on a patient who is aggressive and tries to threaten the sitters with an ostentatious display of power. Most effective approaches to aggression entail identification of the specific problem involved in the case, and finding the appropriate solution. As in other kinds of emergencies, the fact of critical importance is the sitter's own reaction and attitude to the situation. If the patient's behavior evokes anxiety or aggression in the sitter, they can get locked into a vicious circle of interaction that tends to reinforce the pathological reactions." (p. 196)
"To complete the list of difficult situations that can occur in . . . sessions, we should discuss various 'physical manifestations' that are common concomitants of psychedelic experiences. In their milder form, they usually do not present a particularly serious technical challenge, but their extreme forms can be quite alarming. . . . none of them are simple pharmacological effects of LSD; they represent complex psychosomatic manifestations. The general strategy toward somatic aspects in LSD sessions should be to experience them as fully as possible; clinical experiences have repeatedly confirmed the therapeutic value of this approach.
Probably the most common physical manifestations in . . . sessions are various motor phenomena, such as generalized muscular tension, complex postures and twisting movements, and a wide variety of tremors, jerks, twitches, and seizure-like episodes. The subject should be encouraged to let these happen; they represent extremely valuable channels for effective discharge of deep, pent-up energies. It is important that the sitters watch for any attempts on the part of the subject to control such phenomenon, for aesthetic or other reasons. They should consistently encourage uninhibited discharge of energy, even if full manifestation takes the form of a violent temper tantrum or an epileptiform seizure. If the drug effect is not strong enough to bring about a spontaneous release of tension, this can be induced by the subject forcefully tensing-up the areas involved, and holding sculpture-like postures for long periods. Intense external pressures and deep massage are also quite useful for this purpose.
Breathing difficulties are very common in psychedelic sessions. On occasion, they can take the form of genuine asthmatic attacks; these usually occur in persons who have had problems of this kind in the past. In the context of LSD sessions it is important to encourage full experience of the unpleasant feelings of suffocation, at the same time reassuring the subject that there is no real danger, since the breathing difficulties are only subjective and respiration is adequate. It is essential that the sitters give the experient honest and objective feedback on this issue. Frequently gagging, coughing, or screaming, if it forms an integral part of the experience, can bring dramatic release. It should be encouraged if the process moves in that direction, but not mechanically suggested as a specific remedy." (p. 199)
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