“Twisties” and Olympic Games: A Role for Hypnosis in Top-Level Athletes Who Have Lost the Sense of the Self in Aerial Space?

Abstract

Twisties", rarely affecting top-level predisposed young people engaged in athletic evolution and recently observed during the 2020 Olympic Games, sometimes have a psychodynamic origin (dissociation accompanied by depersonalization and derealisation) and could be treated with adequate hypnotic suggestions. This could shorten the recovery of these athletes through the awareness of a repressed trauma and/or a direct intervention on body awareness.

An exploration of the antecedents and mechanisms causing athletes’ stress and twisties symptom

“…The mental disorder “twisties” have not been mentioned in the medical literature ( Casiglia and Tikhonoff, 2021 ), and so does the scant discussion on the depersonalization-derealization symptom (DDS), which is under-researched ( Michal et al., 2016 ). Therefore, through the theoretical dialogue on the symptom of twisties, this study helps promote the development of the research of “twisties.” Using the IPO model via triangulation testing purpose, this study categorized the literature to explore input variables causing athletes' twisties and identified process variables in psychological mechanisms bridging suppression, and finally discussed the existing possible ways in helping athletes to solve problems caused by twisties.…”

“…According to the literature, not only “twisties”, a mental disorder, have not been curiously mentioned in the medical literature ( Casiglia and Tikhonoff, 2021 ), but also depersonalization-derealization symptom (DDS) is a scant and under-researched clinical area ( Michal et al., 2016 ). Furthermore, treatment-related to dissociative disorders has not developed well compared to other major diagnostic disciplines (Bailey and Brand, 2015).…”

“…“Twisties” is considered a gymnastic phenomenon or mental block which causes a sudden loss of sense or spatial awareness loss while performing and hence, fails to control the body position ( Casiglia and Tikhonoff, 2021 ; Philadelphia, 2021). Medgym (2021) also stated that it is the unexpected inability to do the required spins or any spins sometimes for a particular position.…”

“… Gupta and Basu (2021) also explained that it is generically rooted in mental health issues. This kind of disorder frequently happens in adolescent athletes due to high pressure, whereas it is rarely caused in adult athletes, and this hazardous disorder can lead to severe physical trauma ( Casiglia and Tikhonoff, 2021 ). Therefore, gymnasts should be aware of this mental disorder.…”

“…Twisties sometimes have a psychodynamic origin, PTSD, which leads to detachment from the sense of self ( Renaud, 2015 ), a dissociation accompanied by depersonalization and derealization ( Casiglia and Tikhonoff, 2021 ). Symptoms of DDD are for sure independent risk factors for the persistence or incidence of elevated symptoms of depression/anxiety ( Schlax et al., 2020 ; Toupet et al., 2019 ).…”