A recent and growing trend suggests that new patients entering a hospital have begun undergoing a type of psychosis wherein they believe their surroundings to be infected by demons, aliens, and mysterious episodes that seem entirely independent of reality. Perhaps the most interesting fact about this strange illness is that the sufferers are often themselves completely mentally sound aside from stress due to their hospitalization. The condition is known as hospital psychosis and it is on the rise with no explanation.
Sufferers may consider themselves to be undergoing strange scenarios, thrashing about and even attacking hospital staff members and even family. Those suffering from the disease are caught in a strange and terrifying other world only loosely based on the real one. Simple objects may become sinister aliens or monsters and an empty area may even become filled with mysterious creatures intending to bring about the patient’s untimely demise. As the harrowing episode continues, patients may even resort to violence and pose a significant risk to themselves before the episode passes. And when it passes it’s just as mysterious as when it appeared.
And it’s entirely unexplainable. Psychosis is a term generally applied to hallucinations, delirium, and a general blurring of the line between reality and the subconscious uncontrolled imagination of the sufferer. Those feeling the effects often can even become violent. But the most disturbing aspect of hospital psychosis is the fact that it’s becoming more and more common. A man or woman who is perfectly rational and lucid when they are admitted to the hospital can become a terrified hallucinating violent individual who must be restrained for hours if they are effected by the disease.
Could there be a paranormal aspect to this? With beliefs in psychic abilities on the rise since the 1990’s, and again since the 1980’s, there has been wide speculation that this psychic ability may not merely be an ability at all, but rather an effect as well. If this were the case, then perturbations around the psychic’s field of understanding would effect the psychic’s subconscious perceptions and in an altered state could even pick up on symbols that would not otherwise be there. If we take this into consideration, is it possible that an increased psychic awareness could actually be causing this influence?
Of course there is no shortage of other theories as well, including a major theory that patients with poison or infection in their system could manifest hallucinations like someone with heavy alcohol poisoning or the effects of some drugs. The poison in the system would have an effect on the brain and cause the hallucinations themselves, spurred on by the patient’s agitated state. But is this enough? Is it possible there’s something more to it? This can’t all merely be caused by antibiotic resistant staph infections, can it? In fact the answer is no. When many patients are treated there is no evidence to suggest they are even infected. In these cases the illness becomes entirely unexplainable and terrifying for the patient, their friends, and their family all of which are left without answers.