Anomalous experiences (AE) are unusual psychic events, not necessarily pathological, which occur in religious or spiritual contexts. This study explores the onset of AE in spiritist mediums, their characteristics and psychological effects, based on the qualitative analysis of autobiographical accounts. The ten individuals selected answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Their AE emerged mainly during childhood or adolescence, being vague and associated with fear, anxiety and lack of control, and often related to “madness.” Hallucinatory experiences of visual, auditory and tactile nature were described in a markedly heterogeneous manner, indicating the importance of subjective and imaginative components and suggesting that the manifestation of psychotic-like phenomena takes place within a complex dimensional field.
Key words:
Spirituality; psychopathology; hallucinations; anomalous experiences