SUBJECT: girl.
PROBLEM: since about one year, chronic weakness, painful arms, neck tension, temple headache, leg heaviness, tense hands and shoulders; psychotherapy beneficial at the beginning, but then useless and even harmful after two months; nervous breakdown, overwhelming symptoms; pharmacologic therapy almost useless; massages and physiotherapy useless; intractable pain; hypnosis not useful (attempted by a psychologist, in this case a hypnosis charlatan, and then by a psychotherapist).
APPROACH: intervention adjusted to the actual limitations (few hours available, strong distrust in hypnosis); paradoxical refusal of every hypnotic approach aimed at symptom alleviation; persistent hostility against me.
RESULT: stable reduction (cut of about 1/4) of total pain; evident secondary gains in keeping her symptoms in order to manipulate the people around her.
FOLLOW-UP (1 month): residual pain of about 3/4; obvious neurotic need of symptoms.
Copyright (C) Alberto Torelli.