Abstract
An inquiry about mystical phenomena in psychiatric patients was done in a large French Canadian psychiatric hospital.
Four hundred and fifteen patients, taken at random, with functional psychiatric illnesses, were assessed. It was found that 19.28% of this population experienced mystical phenomena. The mystical experience was defined as an unusual psychological state in which a subject had the conviction of being in contact with God or any religious personality of the religion (angels, saints, etc…). The incidence of the mystical phenomena was studied in connection with four parameters:
1. identification characteristics of the patient
2. type of illness
3. sexual life of the patient
4. tendency of the patient to swear
Six statistically significant features were identified in mystical patients: these patients have more sexual behavioral symptoms, are more inclined to swear, are more often paranoid schizophrenics with a chronic illness, are not married and have belonged previously to a religious order.