Walking Zombie syndrome

To begin with

One of the biggest contributions that medical hypnoanalysis offers to the therapeutic community is the so-called Walking Zombie Syndrome. Some find this concept a bit gruesome, but it is an excellent description of this condition, although its name does not necessarily detract from the diagnosis.

Walking Zombie explained

The so-called Walking Zombie Syndrome is described as a condition in which depression and withdrawal cause individuals to unconsciously believe that they are dead, or that they have already died. Illness, coma, high fever, operations performed under anaesthesia, and bereavement are just some of the situations through which a death suggestion could be unwittingly assimilated.

Hypno-analysis has found over and over again that most emotional and psychosomatic challenges stem from the same cause – whether due to accident, injury, surgery, illness, or powerful loss, an individual has often been known to accept an overwhelming negative suggestion.

These tragic circumstances establish a natural hypnotic environment. Because of the perceived threat, our mind becomes very focused. And in this very focused state, any belief that we accept has lasting ramifications. The belief that is most often accepted is a very harmful suggestion that involves some questions about our ability to keep on living. We often do not notice such a suggestion occurring because the threat to our life may not be perceived by our conscious, reasoning mind.

The Walking Zombie Syndrome may develop after a near-death experience, like unconsciousness after an accident, etc. For example, if we go into the hospital to have an operation, we are not surprised at being anaesthetised. Our logical mind knows that we must be placed into a state of unconsciousness to avoid being aware of the work of the surgeon. Our emotional sensory mind focuses on our current awareness of comfort and the hope of increased comfort as a result of the surgery, but there is another kind of thinking that we have. It is our life support thinking.

This occurs in a very simple part of our brain that has little ability to reason. It thinks more in terms of black and white, dead or alive. To this part of our thinking is very distant from our logic and our emotions, though our logic understands anaesthesia and our feelings feel good about it, our life support system feels that death is imminent, especially if a mask is placed over one’s nose and mouth inhibiting breathing. It records the event as dying and responds accordingly.
Several different conclusions can be reached when this part of your thinking believes that you are dying, and each has powerful ramifications. If we believe that we are about to die and then we lose consciousness by any means, that part of our thinking will believe that we have died. When this belief is accepted, it will change us to some degree.

When I tell a client about the Walking Zombie Syndrome, they might often say: but I wasn’t thinking about dying or living. Some, clients, even in a fairly deep hypnotic state will have difficulty tuning in to this kind of reasoning. This kind of thinking is, however, located in the primitive brain or limbic system.

When one dies resulting from an image in their mind, they believe they are dead. Once we accept this belief, we work to conform the rest of our understandings, even our very being or lack of being, to it. If you believe that you are dead, you tend to act dead. You may act listless and tired, lack energy, or be completely emotionless.

Depression

Symptoms of depression may enter the scene here. You may begin to feel as if you are not able to simply live and breathe and have joy in challenges, and in conquering the difficulties in life. You stop living, as you have known it. You do not take an interest in things that you did before. You may not complete your tasks and lack enjoyment in anything syndrome.