Mind Mountains

In HP Lovecraft’s 'At the Mountains of Madness' two explorers struggle with the sight of “unnamed evil itself” on a mountain range in the Antarctic. But this is just a story. Delving into accounts of real mountaineering expeditions, researchers find widespread evidence of psychosis – including tales of vivid hallucinations when climbing above 3500m. Ascending peaks such as Mount Everest (pictured) climbers report strange sights, sounds, voices – even conversations with non-existent people. Reading on in their diaries, researchers found psychotic episodes often coincided with accidents or near accidents during expeditions. Modern mountaineers already take precautions against physical risks like frostbite and lack of oxygen. Coping strategies to protect their mental health may help them reconcile strange experiences while exploring hostile altitudes.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image by Flickr contributor akunamatata
• Research from Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital of Psychiatry II, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
• Image originally published on Flickr with a Creative Commons BY-ND 2.0 licence
• Research published in Psychological Medicine, December 2017