Preplanned fasting in the treatment of mental disease: survey of current Soviet literature

Abstract

Since 1946 the treatment of certain mental diseases by preplanned fasting has gained widespread, although not always enthusiastic, attention in the Soviet Union. Based on the use of strict fasting to treat a great variety of somatic diseases, Nikolajew (1969α) applied this concept for the first time to the treatment of idiopathic mental disease and posttraumatic mental symptomatology. More recently, measures were taken to limit this therapeutic method to the institutionalized patient, and the results obtained using this treatment were published in a comprehensive volume (Fedotow 1969). In the present article, a brief survey of this and related publications will be given together with a description of the plan of treatment.