Catalepsy is a nervous disorder characterized by immobility and muscle stiffness, along with a decreased sensitivity to pain. In hypnosis, catalepsy refers to a state of muscular rigidity, usually of a part of the body, such as an arm, induced by the hypnotist in the patient. In the latter sense, catalepsy is often used as a test before proceeding with hypnosis.
As a nervous condition, catalepsy is a symptom of a number of disorders, including Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia, cocaine withdrawal, sleep apnea, obesity, depression, and emotional shock. It can also be a side effect of antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia. Catalepsy is also a possible side effect of septoplasty, a surgery performed to straighten the septum, the cartilage separating the nostrils. In addition to the symptoms listed above, a cataleptic patient may experience anxiety, low back pain, fatigue, loss of muscle control, and slow body functions, especially breathing. The limbs can remain in whatever position they are placed in.
Catalepsy is a rare disorder. Catalaptic attacks appear suddenly and can last from several minutes to several days, and for weeks in extreme cases. They are often accompanied by a lack of senses in the patient, although not always. A cataleptic patient is often unable to move or speak at all.
Before medicine better understood catalepsy, cataleptics were sometimes buried alive with the belief that they were dead. The cases of cataleptics who revive when buried and dig their way out of the grave may have helped to give rise to legends of vampires and other revenants. Catalaptic states have also historically been confused with other trance states, such as those induced by meditation or hypnosis. The word catalepsy comes from the Greek for "down" and "seize", reflecting ancient beliefs that the cataleptic was being captured by some supernatural entity.
A cataleptic adjustment can be treated by bathing the head in cold water, followed by a warm foot bath and a stimulating massage, especially of the spine and abdomen. Stimulating aromatics, such as lavender or peppermint, can also help the patient regain movement. If the cataleptic setting lasts a long time, the food or fluids must be force-fed or administered in another way. A cataleptic adjustment can also be treated with medications, generally high doses of enzymes. In extreme cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be effective.