V.K. Spiridonov, psychiatrist,
candidate of medical science,
doctor of higher category
The tasks of the given research are in the extremely difficult and controversial field of the influence of creed and activity, connected with it over the psyche and psychological state of a person. The research is grounded on the proved methodology of the clinical data, objective professional estimation of the dogma and 'recovery' practice of the religious organization 'Falun Gong' (a religious association of Li Hongzhi's followers) and is limited to purely professional psychological and psychiatric problems.
Up to now no special research has been held in our country to study the prevalence of mental disorders among the representatives of different religions and cause-and-effect relations between these disorders and religious practice, 'Falun Dafa', in particular. The patient's creed is not fixed in his medical history and doesn't belong to the facts, necessary for the description of the patient's life and decease, that is why health authorities don't possess such information.
The religious organization 'Falun Gong' dogma is called 'Falun Dafa' – 'The Great Law Falun'. The same name has the system of psychophysiological exercises and trainings, practised in this cult. "The Falun Dafa' system consists of the dogma, described in the basic book 'Zhuan Falun' by Guru Li Hongzhi and five complexes of exercises, known as Falun Gong. It gives practical recommendations how we can improve ourselves in accordance with the Universal Law 'Truth, Compassion, Forbearance'. It has two constituent parts: self-perfection through studying the verities set forth by Guru Li and doing five smooth exercises. The exercises also include meditation …"- one can read in the Instructions on the 'Falun Gong' practice. Searches and experiments with the employment of the meditative techniques of trance states, in the course of which a person, as a rule, trusts in the experts- impostors, often result in strongly marked psyche overload. More than 70% of those, who had tried meditation, admitted that after it they experienced psychological problems and hallucinations. In their turn, the doctrinal sources of the organization don't conceal the fact that it is the human souls that make the object of influence. "Movements of the body are additional means to achieve complete perfection in self-perfecting".
From the medical point of view, the exercises, based on physical (static and dynamic) and neuropsychic overload ensure cerebration overload which can cause physiological equilibrium deterioration, insomnia, distraction and psychosis development. Focusing on subconscious side of individuality and its hidden instincts, the 'Falun Gong' leaders strongly interfere in their followers' psyche. In the end this causes changes of conscience, deterioration of reality and not only one's own ego perception and understanding but of the surrounding world as well, lowering of pliability in social interaction and appearance of strongly pronounced social disadaptation marks.
The 'Falun Gong' disciples show unhealthy dependence on the group and the leaders, loss of independence, inability to establish emotional bonds with people, who are not members of the organization, contempt towards them, distrust to rational scientific mentality, formation of irrational attitude towards themselves and others. Under the conditions of a difficult psychologically traumatic situation these people can suffer psychogenic disorders. Earlier mentally sane persons can suffer reactive psychosis and those, who already have different mental disorders – psychogenic 'depositions', at this. Because of the psychological trauma clinical presentation of the main mental disease of some mentally insane patients becomes considerably more confused, reactive state symptoms and syndromes coming into the picture. At latent, sluggishly progressing disorders (in particular, schizophrenia, epilepsy, etc.) patents can preserve social adaptation long enough.
All abovementioned changes of individuality make it impossible for the 'Falun Gong' followers to holistically and critically consider their mental state, characterized by the loss of possibility of one's own declaration of will, including religious freedom. The 'Falun Gong' followers demonstrate personal characteristics transformation with value reorientation, appearance of strong stereotyped perception, changes in behaviour with monotonous and narrow-aimed activity prevalence, suggestibility in relation to a narrow group of people and ideas.
The 'Falun Gong' disciples declare: "… the reason of such large-scale involvement and popularity is in great recovery effect of the practice by this system. Falun Dafa doesn't treat illnesses but it lustrates the body of those, engaged in self-perfecting". To involve people into its ranks the 'Falun Gong' organization actively promises immediate recovery, absolute health and various outstanding and supernatural abilities. Manipulating people's conscience, the 'Falun Gong' leaders write in the newspaper 'Falun Dafa in the World' (issue 16): "There were 10475 of the Disciples, who suffered from more than one disease. After 2 – 3 months up to 2 – 3 years of the Falun Gong practice their state of health greatly improved. The general amount of the recovered came to 77,5% + 20,4% of those, whose state of health changed for the better. Recovery and health-improvement effect made 97,9%".
In fact, we know from the 'Falun Gong' practice in China, that more than 1400 people died after they refused medical assistance and medical treatment, following Li Hongshi's admonition, saying, that "to cure a person means to destroy the principle of the Universe, allow him to do evil". More than 300 'Falun Gong' followers committed suicides "to rapture to heaven", seven persons jointly sacrificed their lives in Tiananmen square (Beijing), 20 persons were injured or killed by other 'Falun Gong' followers (2002 data).
Thus, even brief analysis of the 'Falun Gong' activity gives solid grounds to believe that considerable quantity of suicides and crimes of violence, described in the mass media, is directly connected with the exercising the 'Falun Dafa' provisions by these people.
On the ground of the above-said, we can draw a number of conclusions:
The 'Falun Gong' dogma includes a lot of statements, which can be harmful for psyche and psychological state of the 'Falun Gong' organization members.
Psychophysiological exercises and trainings of the 'Falun Gong' practice, based on physical (static and dynamic) and neuropsychic overload ensure cerebration overload which can cause physiological equilibrium deterioration, insomnia, distraction, psychosis development, neurotization and depressive states.
The 'Falun Gong' dogma is based on mind control techniques, which makes convincing and consistent psychiatric basis to assess its destructive activity. Separate individuals as well as the society in whole can change moral values under its influence. Mental health of the nation can also be harmed.
