Early case study of cognitive behavior therapy with a paranoid schizophrenic
Readers may be interested in a case study I published in an APA Proceedings in 1966. The delusions of a paranoid schizophrenic were successfully eliminated by enabling the patient to reconstrue "pressure points" on his forehead telling him what to do in difficult situations as part of an anxiety response to problematic interpersonal situations. The patient was taught deep muscle relaxation over a number of sessions and then instructed in applying this anxiety-control skill to the tensions produced by events that triggered his "pressure points." He gradually learned to control his anxiety and thereby his pressure points, which he came to construe as part of his anxiety reaction rather than as signals from outside forces telling him what to do. Citation: Davison, G.C. (1966). Differential relaxation and cognitive restructuring in therapy with a paranoid schizophenic or paranoid state. Proceedings of the 74th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. Washington,DC: American Psychological Association. Reprints available from me.
Rapid Response:
Early case study of cognitive behavior therapy with a paranoid schizophrenic
Readers may be interested in a case study I published in an APA Proceedings in 1966. The delusions of a paranoid schizophrenic were successfully eliminated by enabling the patient to reconstrue "pressure points" on his forehead telling him what to do in difficult situations as part of an anxiety response to problematic interpersonal situations. The patient was taught deep muscle relaxation over a number of sessions and then instructed in applying this anxiety-control skill to the tensions produced by events that triggered his "pressure points." He gradually learned to control his anxiety and thereby his pressure points, which he came to construe as part of his anxiety reaction rather than as signals from outside forces telling him what to do. Citation: Davison, G.C. (1966). Differential relaxation and cognitive restructuring in therapy with a paranoid schizophenic or paranoid state. Proceedings of the 74th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. Washington,DC: American Psychological Association. Reprints available from me.
Competing interests: No competing interests