Viktor Frankl Part 2

by Paul G. Durbin Retired Director of Clinical Hypnotherapy, Methodist Hospital, New Orleans, LA

Paradoxical Intension: It is commonly observed that anxiety often produces precisely what the patient fears. Frankl calls this "anticipatory anxiety". For instance, in cases of insomnia, the patient reports that she has trouble going to sleep. The fear of not going to sleep only adds to the difficulty of trying to go to sleep. Many sexual problems may be traced back to the forced intention of attaining the goal of sexual intercourse: as in the male seeking to prove his potency or the female her ability to experience orgasm. It seems that anticipatory anxiety causes precisely what the patient fears.

It is upon this fact that Logotherapists base the technique know as "paradoxical intention." For instance, when a phobic patient is afraid that something will happen to him, the Logotherapist encourages him to intend for precisely what he fears. Hypnotherapist uses similar techniques in "desensitization" and "circle therapy." Frankl tells the story of a young physician who sweated excessively when in the presence of his chief. At other times, he was not bothered by excessive sweating. The patient was advised to resolve deliberately to show the chief just how much he really could sweat. He was to say to himself, "I only sweated out a liter before, but now I'm going to pour out at least 10 liters." Through this paradoxical intention, he was able to free himself of his excessive sweating. The treatment consists not only in a reversal of the patient's attitude toward his phobia but also that it is carried out in a humorous way if possible.

This procedure is based on the fact that, according to Logotherapeutic teachings, phobias and obsessive-compulsive neuroses is partially due to the increase of anxieties and compulsions caused by the endeavor to avoid or fight them. (The subconscious cannot tell the difference between a fear and a wish and so attempts to bring either into reality.) A phobic person usually tries to avoid the situation in which his anxieties arise, while the obsessive-compulsive tries to suppress and fight his problem. In either case, the result is a strengthening of the symptoms. If we can succeed in bringing the patient to the point where he ceases to flee from or to fight his symptoms, then we may observe that the symptoms diminish and the patient is no longer haunted by them.

The hypnotherapist often uses paradoxical intention whether he realizes it or not. "Your eyes are stuck tightly together. The harder you try to open them the tighter they stick. You can try to open them, but the harder you try, the tighter they stick. Now relax and notice that you can now open your eyes easily and comfortably."

I have used "paradoxical intention", with a lady who ate two bags of popcorn each night and wanted to stop. During the counseling session, I said to her, "Now, tonight just say to yourself: 'Well, I have been eating two bags of popcorn each night. Tonight, I am going to eat four bags of popcorn. If I can eat two bags of popcorn, I can surely eat four bags." She begin to laugh and said, "That is ridiculous. I don't want four bags.. Two bags are too much also. I can be satisfied with one or less." You may notice that there can be a touch of the ridiculous and humor in this approach. Paradoxical intention allows the client to develop a sense of detachment toward his problem by laughing at it.

The therapist is always faced with the seemingly impossible twofold task of considering the uniqueness of each person, as well as the uniqueness of the life situation with which each person has to cope. The choice of an appropriate treatment method to be applied in any concrete case depends not only upon the individuality of the patient involved, but also upon the personality of the therapist. More important than the method used is the relationship between the patient and the therapist. The relationship between two persons is the most significant aspect of the therapeutic process, an even more import factor than any method or technique.

There is meaning to life and it is unconditional meaning. Life has meaning and neither suffering nor dying can distract from it. Frankl wrote of an unconditional trust in the ultimate meaning and unconditional faith in the ultimate being, God. Habakkuk chanted his triumphant hymn: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive tree shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (3:17-18) Frankl concludes his book, The Will to Meaning, with that Biblical quote and this statement, "May this be the lesson to learn from my book."

Mr. Wilder's Case History Based on the Theories of Viktor Frankl: Mr. Wilder, a 70 year old man, came to me because he could not get over the death of his wife. Since his wife's death about a year before, he felt he had no meaning and had lost the will to live. I had three sessions with Mr. Wilder over a month's period. We worked together to help him accept his wife's death and to accept his worth as a person, to increase his self-confidence, and to find his meaning for his life.

"The Turning Point": Prince Andrew: Sometime ago, while visiting a book store, I saw a book, The Turning Point. Though I did not buy the book, it brought to mind that each of us face many turning points in our life. You are facing a turning point in your life today and you have the chance to make a positive change in your life.

There is an interesting incident in the book, War and Peace concerning Price Andrew. The Prince has gone through a long period of grief and depression which had sapped his strength. He thought that his life had no meaning or purpose. As he traveled over his land in the winter, he passed an old oak tree which was bare of leaves and looked dead. He thought to himself, "I am like that tree."

It was not until the following spring that he traveled back across the same route where he had seen the old oak tree. Feeling as old, as tired, as meaningless, as depressed as ever, he came to the old oak tree. To his surprise, he noticed the oak tree had come to life. It had new leaves and new growth. The tree which he had identified himself was new, green, growing, and beautiful. It was a turning point for him as he realized new life, new meaning, new hope and new purpose was available for him as it was for the tree. New hope, new purpose, new meaning can be yours...

About a month after our last session, I talked to Mr. Wilder on the phone. He told me that he was working as a volunteer at the hospital near his home. He said, "Now I have a reason to get up in the morning and I am enjoying my life again."

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