Is There a Chemical Spill?

3min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

The havanisindrome in cuba, and then the witches of leroy. Some people's way of dealing with that is they sort of bend the facts to fit their beliefs. In up state new york, it actually was the one case where i felt like the doctors really made a difference. They made a firm diagnosis with these young women of a conversion disorder. And then they tist they were firm in their diagnosis, and took the girls out of the media storm as much as they could.

Michael Shermer speaks with award-winning Irish neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan about her work exploring the complexity of psychogenic illness affecting people all around the world. Her book The Sleeping Beauties, documents her investigation of psychosomatic disorders as she traveled the world visiting communities suffering from these so-called mystery illnesses. O’Sullivan records the remarkable stories of syndromes related to her by people from all walks of life. Riveting and often distressing, these case studies — both fascinating and of serious concern — are recounted with compassion and humanity as these syndromes continue to proliferate around the globe.