Crazy Experiments That Shocked the World
Imagine a 16-year-old boy tied to a hospital bed, with electrodes attached to his head. Every time he looked at pictures of other men, 120-volt electric shocks jolted his body. His screams echoed in the corridors, but the doctors outside calmly recorded data. This is not a horror movie scene — this is the reality of conversion therapy in the United States during the 1970s. The boy's name? Unknown, as medical records were hidden. However, the trauma effects remained for life.
Conversion therapy, known as 'conversion therapy,' is a pseudoscientific practice that claims to be able to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to conform to heterosexual and cisgender norms. This practice is not only ineffective, but also proven to cause serious psychological damage. According to the American Psychological Association, more than 700,000 adult LGBTQ+ people in the United States have undergone this therapy, mostly during their teenage years. Data from The Trevor Project shows that LGBTQ+ teenagers exposed to conversion therapy have twice the risk of suicide.
Dark History: From Electroshock to Lobotomy
The history of conversion therapy began in the 19th century, when homosexuality was considered a mental illness. Dr. Albert von Schrenck-Notzing, a German psychiatrist, claimed in 1898 to have "cured" a homosexual man through hypnosis. However, the patient was later found to still be homosexual and suffered severe depression.
In the 1950s and 1960s, conversion therapy reached its most brutal stage. Techniques such as aversion therapy used electroshock, chemicals that caused vomiting, and even chemical castration. Dr. Robert Heath, an American neurologist, conducted a controversial experiment in 1972 by implanting electrodes in the brain of a homosexual man to stimulate the "heterosexual area"—an act now considered torture.
Even more horrifying, in the United Kingdom, Dr. William Sargant used apomorphine injections to cause severe vomiting in patients while forcing them to look at homosexual images. His goal? To create a conditioned reflex linking homosexuality with disgust. The result? Patients experienced lasting psychological trauma, and many eventually committed suicide.
Chemical Castration and "Corrective" Rape
One of the most barbaric methods in conversion therapy is chemical castration—administering anti-androgen drugs to reduce libido, often used on transgender or homosexual patients. In Nazi Germany, thousands of homosexual men were sent to concentration camps and underwent forced castration without anesthesia, resulting in death or lifelong disability.
In South Africa, until the early 2000s, the practice of "corrective rape" (corrective rape) was used as a "therapy" to "cure" lesbians. Activists like Lorna Mlilo, who survived such attacks, reported that many victims were killed or suffered severe sexual trauma. A 2011 Human Rights Watch report documented over 30 cases of corrective rape in the country, with only a few cases brought to court.
Psychological Trauma: Effects That Cannot Be Erased
Studies by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that conversion therapy is ineffective in changing sexual orientation, but causes serious side effects. Among the recorded effects include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), drug abuse, and suicidal thoughts. A 2020 report from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights classified conversion therapy as a form of torture and human rights violation.
Dr. Jack Drescher, a leading psychiatrist, stated that conversion therapy is "a fraud and medical danger." In an interview with The New York Times, he said, "This practice is nothing more than psychological torture wrapped in a scientific cloak."
Where Is Conversion Therapy Still Practiced?
Although more than 20 countries have banned conversion therapy, including Brazil, Germany, and Malta, the practice is still widespread in many other countries. In the United States, 20 states have banned it for children, but in other states, it is still legal. In Malaysia, conversion therapy is not clearly banned, and some private counseling centers have been found to offer the service secretly. A 2022 report from Amnesty International stated that more than 50,000 people in Southeast Asia have undergone conversion therapy in the past decade.
Victims' Voices: Stories That Cannot Be Forgotten
One of the survivors, David (a pseudonym), told his experience to The Guardian: "I was sent to a rehabilitation center in Texas at age 17. Every day, I was forced to watch heterosexual pornography and whipped if I showed any negative reaction. After six months, I tried to commit suicide. When I left, I was still homosexual, but my soul was destroyed."
David's story is not an exception. Thousands of other victims have faced the same fate, and many never had the chance to tell their stories. According to data from Born Perfect, an anti-conversion therapy organization, over 50% of victims reported experiencing PTSD, and 40% had attempted suicide.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Conversion therapy is a stain on the history of science and medicine. It is not only scientifically failed, but also violates the most basic human rights. As a society, we must demand a complete ban on this practice worldwide. Education, acceptance, and evidence-based psychological support are the only way forward. Do not let this madness continue to destroy lives.
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*References: [Conversion therapy — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_therapy)*