Sexual Murder - Justicia Forense

(p. 582). In this and similar cases, Maier looks for unconscious connectionsbetween emotion-laden memories from childhood and the content of thedeveloped delusion.Under the heading “Utter Nonsense,” Maier describes the case of a manwho published brochures and books devoted to subjects such as natural livingand healing, attacks on the government, and various sexual and philosophicaltopics. He earned a great deal of money from his speeches and publications,which afforded him a comfortable lifestyle. He organized a “life society” andpromised his followers health if they adhered to his system. This man waseventually institutionalized at Burghölzli for 7 years. Maier noted that hismood was always euphoric, with a flight of ideas, and he diagnosed him asa chronic sub-manic, a category of manic–depressive psychosis.Maier was struck by the content of this patient’s “utter nonsense” ideas.According to Maier, this man’s delusions were a direct result of his manicillness and therefore were not catathymic. Since his beliefs were not causedby any consistent, underlying, emotionally charged conflicts or trauma, hiscondition would not be considered catathymia but, instead, should be called“emotional psychosis.” In another case, a manic–depressive who had manydelusions of grandeur and ideas of persecution also had no apparent innerconflicts to account for his delusions; Maier therefore concluded that thesymptomatology was solely due to mania.The next case reported is a woman who had engaged in repetitivepathological lying (pseudologia fantastica) since childhood. She was intelligent,but she lied continuously, stating, for example, that she wouldinherit a million dollars, including diamond and gold mines in SouthAfrica, etc. The lies became more and more bizarre, manifesting delusionsof grandeur and persecution. She stole money, served time in prison, andcontinued to lie to the authorities and to her doctors. Eventually, thepseudologia fantastica developed into paranoia. Because of time constraints,Maier was unable to specify the underlying complex of ideas thatwould definitely indicate catathymia, but he believed it was present. Insome cases, catathymically determined symptoms can be uncovered onlyby in-depth analysis of the patient.Delusions caused by an organic disorder or intoxication are not rootedin a complex and therefore should not be considered catathymic. However,an organic disease can trigger catathymic delusions in a predisposed individual.In addition, underlying complexes involving a fear or a wish can resultin catathymic delusions in an individual who has an independent organicillness such as epilepsy. In alcoholic psychosis, catathymic delusions may playa role but usually only a secondary role. In Korsakoff’s syndrome, catathymicsymptoms usually are not found, but there are cases of delirium tremenswhere catathymic delusional ideas do occasionally occur.