Psychische Vorgänge beim Badetod

Summary

A comparison of the manifestations exhibited in psychogenic fainting and atypical drowning showed such striking similarity that psychogenic fainting as the cause of the submersion must be assumed. Psychogenic fainting on land is a harmless human psychosomatic reaction to a stressing and psychically unmanageable situation. When a person is in the water and loses consciousness by fainting, he sinks and suffocates.

Mrs. N., now 25 years old, was often ducked unter water by her father. These duckings were accompanied by great fear on her part. Sinces this time she has retained her fear of being submerged, particularily when pushed by others. Despite this fear, however, she learned to swim well in the following years.

At the age of 21 she vacationed at the seaside. On one occasion while swimming on her back she became fearful that the waves would surge over her head and she fainted.

Her second fainting spell occurred in a swimming pool. She became afraid that her boyfriend would duck her under. This time, too, she fainted. On both occasions she was pulled out of the water by other swimmers.

Mrs. N. feels secure in water when her head is above it. Her fear appears when there is danger that her head could be drawn under. The tension becomes so great that she faints. Mrs. N.'s explanation makes clear that her fear is not caused by the situation itself but indirectly by her memories of fearful childhood experiences and former dangers.

Zusammenfassung

Als Ursache des Badetodes ist die gewöhnliche Ohnmacht anzusehen, wie in einer früheren Publikation nachgewiesen wurde. Die gewöhnliche oder psychogene Ohnmacht ist Folge einer psychosomatischen Reaktion des Menschen auf eine bedrängende psychisch nicht mehr zu bewältigende Situation.

Diese seelische Situation wird mittels einer ausführlichen Schilderung der psychischen Vorstellung einer 25-jährigen Frau dargestellt, die zweimal kurz vor dem tödlichen Ausgang von Anwesenden gerettet wurde. In diesem Fallbeispiel war die Angst vor einem Untertauchen auslösend, die auf Erlebnisse in der Kindheit zurückgeführt werden konnten.