Healing from the dependency on horror magazines and horror videos
A. v. d. B.-G. (40), Lennestadt (Germany)
Already as a child I often felt anxious and lonely. I would get really terrified at the sight of my own blood-a nose-bleed for example. From the time I was 16 (1980) I was particularly fond of horror comics. I would have ghost, spook and horror comics set aside for me at the local stationery shop. These comic books came out once a week. I also bought the related special volumes and special editions. That took up all my pocket money. I could hardly wait until the week was finally up so that I could get the new comics. The sales ladies couldn’t understand why I was so wild about those comics. I hurried to get home to immediately start reading. I actually read everywhere-in the living room, bedroom, toilet, wherever. I was fascinated by the style and the drawings in the comic books. It was basically always a matter of a spirit entity succeeding in wreaking havoc and tormenting people. Evil always had the upper hand and was almost exclusively victorious. Even as an adult I went on reading and collecting assiduously. My husband couldn’t understand it at all but didn’t say anything about it. During all of my four pregnancies the comics were my favourite reading matter. When I couldn’t sleep at night or when I had to look after the children at night I would have to first read the comics afterward. I would read the comic books more than once. If disturbed while reading the comics I would really flip out and snarl at the person involved.
It couldn’t be spine-chilling enough
From 1985 on I also added a passion for horror videos. I liked to watch films on television with a strong effect. That is, they had to get under your skin. They couldn’t be spine-chilling or gory enough. Since these films weren’t shown until very late we had bought a video-recorder. Then I would order and buy videos to my taste such as psycho¸ vampire, werewolf, alien and science films like, for example, "Poltergeist", "The White Shark", "The Omen", etc.-a wide range. I would watch these films almost every night and more than once. Sometimes my husband also watched although he didn’t think much of that kind of film. I usually sat with my legs drawn up on the sofa. When a bad scene was shown I would either shut my eyes or bury my face between my legs. In addition I would completely stiffen up. Everything tensed up in me and I would feel very cold regardless of the season or room temperature. I couldn’t get up, not to speak of stopping the film. I was as if paralysed and I also wanted and had to know how it all ended. By the way, I wasn’t able to sleep very well and I often got on my husband’s nerves because I was scared as a result of a film I had seen. When asked why I watched such rubbish I was unable to give him an answer. I had to keep the hall light on at night because I was scared of the dark.
During the last one or two years I went to a psychiatrist. However I didn’t mention anything about my passion for horror comics and videos. I went to the psychiatrist because I wasn’t able to cope and felt completely done in. The therapy brought no significant improvement and therefore I would break it off intermittently.
I looked for help
Since my overall condition was getting worse and worse-I always felt weak and couldn’t cope-I looked for help. In June 1995 I came across an advertisement for spiritual healing through the teaching of Bruno Gröning in the local weekly. On Saturday, June 24, 1995 I attended an Information Lecture on the teaching of Bruno Gröning.
I was able to believe what was said in the introductory lecture. My body reacted to the Heilstrom in the form of coughing, pain all over and a quick pulse and heartbeat. I had to cry during the introduction.
Spontaneously healed
Two days after my introduction, on June 26, 1995 I went as usual to the stationery shop. I told the sales ladies that I didn’t need to have any comics set aside anymore. I don’t know how or what happened, but from that time on I didn’t need those comic books anymore. I packed the entire collection in cartons and stowed them away in the attic. When we had a flea market I sent them along and was happy that the comics were out of the house. When I see this kind of comic books on the shelves I find that there is no longer any urge or drive to buy them, not to speak of to read them.
Since the introduction I have watched no more horror videos. The videos lay for awhile in the cupboard. I can’t give the exact point in time anymore but I packed all the videos in cartons and put them in the cellar. Sometime or other I sent them to the flea markets. When such films are shown on television there is no longer any need on my part to watch them. I am no longer afraid at night, and I don’t need any light on in the hall.
After the introduction I went only two or three more times to the psychiatrist. She was astonished how I had changed so positively in such a short time. She let me go saying that I was now independent in every way.
Doctor’s commentary:
Since Mrs. v.d.B. was 16 years old, she had been devouring printed material containing horror; since she was 21 years old she also watched horror videos nightly. Over time she lost control over the amount and the effect of such consumption; she was afraid during and after she took in these horror stories and was endangering important relationships by doing this.
It is amazing, gratifying and borders on a miracle that Mrs. v.d.B. after her introduction to the teaching of Bruno Gröning, from one day to the next no longer felt the need for such reading material or these kind of films. It is especially moving how the healing occurred over night without any treatment from a doctor.
Dr. T. H., specialist in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy
