Am I Crazy or Spiritually Transforming? Beyond the Differentiation of Psychiatric and Spiritually Transformative Experiences

One of 937 articles in Journal of Near-Death Studies
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Abstract: Spiritually transformative experiences (STEs) may sometimes present with the symptomatology of psychiatric disorders. Transformational crisis may even occur within the context of a psychiatric hospitalization. Such STEs are at odds with the medical model of Western psychiatry that emphasizes pathology. Yet a coherent approach yields no absolute differentiation between spiritual emergence and what health professionals diagnose as mental illness. A historical perspective begins with the presumed differentiation between authentic spiritual experience and psychiatric illness. A more functional approach to spiritual emergency takes into account the perspective of experiencers, their communication and meta-communication skills, and the integration process itself. One … continued below

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94-115 p.

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Colli, Janet Elizabeth Winter 2016.

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This article is part of the collection entitled: Journal of Near-Death Studies and was provided by the UNT Libraries to the UNT Digital Library, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 583 times, with 5 in the last month. More information about this article can be viewed below.

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Abstract: Spiritually transformative experiences (STEs) may sometimes present with the symptomatology of psychiatric disorders. Transformational crisis may even occur within the context of a psychiatric hospitalization. Such STEs are at odds with the medical model of Western psychiatry that emphasizes pathology. Yet a coherent approach yields no absolute differentiation between spiritual emergence and what health professionals diagnose as mental illness. A historical perspective begins with the presumed differentiation between authentic spiritual experience and psychiatric illness. A more functional approach to spiritual emergency takes into account the perspective of experiencers, their communication and meta-communication skills, and the integration process itself. One case from the popular literature and two cases from the author's psychotherapy practice are presented to demonstrate that the list of causative experiences for STEs can include what is diagnosable as a psychiatric condition, specifically, bipolar disorder.

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94-115 p.

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"[The Journal of Near-Death Studies] is the only peer-reviewed scholarly journal (ISSN 0891-4494) devoted exclusively to the field of near-death studies. It is cross-disciplinary and published quarterly."

Pagination is continuous through volumes.

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  • Journal of Near-Death Studies, 35(2), International Association for Near-Death Studies, Winter 2016, pp. 94 - 115

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  • Publication Title: Journal of Near-Death Studies
  • Volume: 35
  • Issue: 2
  • Page Start: 94
  • Page End: 115
  • Pages: 22

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Journal of Near-Death Studies

The Journal of Near-Death Studies is a scholarly peer-reviewed journal devoted to the field of near-death studies. It is published on a quarterly basis by the International Association for Near-Death Studies. The Journal began publication in 1982 under the name Anabiosis which was changed to its current title in 1986 with the start of Volume 6.

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  • Winter 2016

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  • April 4, 2018, 7:03 a.m.

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  • Dec. 7, 2021, 9:06 p.m.

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Colli, Janet Elizabeth. Am I Crazy or Spiritually Transforming? Beyond the Differentiation of Psychiatric and Spiritually Transformative Experiences, article, Winter 2016; Durham, North Carolina. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1125733/: accessed May 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .

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