- Title: The Mind Possessed Battle For The Mind
- Date: 5th November 1989
- Summary: BORN IN 1907, DR WILLIAM SARGANT WAS BROUGHT UP IN A STRICTLY METHODIST FAMILY. HIS EARLY EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHIATRY LED HIM TO BECOME A STRONG ADVOCATE OF RADIC- AL, 'PHYSICALIST' FORMS OF TREATMENT, SUCH AS ECT, DRUG-THERAPY, & EVENTUALLY, MODIFIED LEUCOTOMY. DURING THE WAR HE DEVISED ABREACTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR THE TREATMENT OF SHOCKED SOLDIERS. HIS WESLEYAN UPBRINGING GAVE HIM A RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE ON ABREACTION, AND LED HIM TO A PHYSIOLOGICAL THEORY OF RELIGIOUS ECSTASY, POSSESION & CONVERSION. HE SPENT THE LATTE PART OF HIS CAREER TOURING THE WORLD, FILMING RELIGIOUS RITUALS AS DIVERSE AS HILLBILLY FUNDAMENTALISM; HAITIAM VOODOO; THE CASTING OUT OF SPIRITS BY WATER IN ETHIOPIA, AND THE TRAVELL ING RITUALS OF TRINIDAD. NONE OF THESE FILMS WERE COMMISSIONED, OR IN ANY WAY SPONSORED. THEY CONTAIN MANY EXTRAORDINARY AND AT TIMES UNSETTLING IMAGES WHICH HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN PUBLICLY SHOWN.
- Description:THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR WILLIAM SARGANT,THE INTERNATIONALLY RESPECTED YET HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL BRITISH PSYCHIATRIST.
- Broadcaster:Channel 4
- Collection: Channel 4
- Genre:Documentary and Factual
- Producer:ILLUMINATIONS TELEVISION LTD
- Programme Episode:Episode 1
- Transmission Date:05/11/1989
- Rights:On Request
- Decade: 1980s