This is an interesting story. It is based on a series of studies that indicate that a deconversion from a fundamentalist faith can cause some psychological damage that manifests itself in physical ways. This goes along with the theory of motivated reasoning…
Unfortunately, they use only one same, and that of a Mormon missionary.
Anyway, I’m cataloging this for future use:
He explained that conversion disorder is an unusual psychological malady with symptoms that resemble a neurological disorder or other medical condition. The onset is usually abrupt and typically begins with a mental conflict or emotional crisis, then “converts” to a physical problem that prevents the patient from engaging in the activity that was causing him stress.
http://m.discovermagazine.com/2012/jun/07-vital-signs-paralyzed-by-faith
Joel L. Watts holds a Masters of Arts from United Theological Seminary with a focus in literary and rhetorical criticism of the New Testament. His interests include exploring the role of mimesis in human civilization, specifically in the study of religion and media, as well as science fiction and the way in which it has allowed mythology to be explored in light of scientific discoveries of the past century. He is the author of Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark: Introduction and Commentary (Wipf and Stock, 2013) and a co-editor and contributor to From Fear to Faith: Stories of Hitting Spiritual Walls (Energion, 2013).
Website: → Unsettled Christianity
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One can only imagine the collateral damage that accompanies the “deconversion” process for former Scientologists.