A nurse has unsuccessfully tried to sue the NHS after claiming she was being secretly hypnotised at work - to force her to uncontrollably break wind.
Xandra Samson insisted she was suffering from unwelcome ‘gastrointestinal disturbances’ at work including flatulence.
A tribunal heard she also claimed she was being ‘possessed’, her private parts were being ‘attacked’, and she was ‘gaslighted through the use of low frequency soundwaves’.
Miss Samson blamed the perceived paranormal experiences on poor heating and ventilation at the hospital unit she worked at.
The staff nurse at Ealing Hospital, London, self-diagnosed herself as being the target of ‘ideomotor phenomenon’ - a little-known hypnotic concept which is said to make people make movements unconsciously.
The Acute Medical Unit nurse described it as ‘extremely bothersome’ when she sent an email at work in April 2019. Its claims led bosses to become concerned about her mental health and they referred her to an occupational health team.
Miss Samson said: “I would like to report an observed pattern of likely inappropriate use of hypnosis/ideomotor phenomenon in my NHS workplace.
Xandra Samson was a staff nurse at Ealing Hospital, London and self-diagnosed herself
“In the last three months that I have worked in the department, I have experienced odd symptoms which I think is likely related to the above phenomenon.
“I am a healthy individual and does not have any past medical history but recently I have had various symptoms including headaches, breathing difficulty (a feeling of getting choked), and gastrointestinal disturbance (borborygmus, spasms, flatulence).
“This also includes having slurs similar to that of being possessed (as in a paranormal phenomenon). I have also noticed this in some of my patients and colleagues at work.
“It becomes extremely bothersome and a distraction at work. It also involves a feeling of being attacked in various parts of the body including that of one’s private part, which I feel is very inappropriate.
“I understand that control is achieved in this phenomenon
