Demonic possession...Mental illness or actual event

I suspect a combination of both; I also think that possesion may be more likely in some, while in others mental illness is the most likely cause. As I understand, the Catholic church requires in-depth research into any alleged possesion situation, including a psychological evaluation of the victim/patient. To me, taking a primarily scientific approach first makes most sense to rule out mundane physical, mental, and/or psychological causes. Interestingly though, unresolved mundane issues can develop into psychic problems in much the same way that every day stressors can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression--this could potentially include possesion. Issues that evolve in this manner can create "holes" in the aura, which present "openings" for other (presumably unbalanced or otherwise alien [forgein]) influences to take hold of the individual, which could in turn result in a possesion or similar experience. Dion Fortune's book, _Psychic Self-Defense_ offers a very throughouh look at taking such an approach to possibly occult-related experiences, and offers some very basic protective measures one can take. Banishing rituals such as the Lesser Banishing of the Pentagram are highly effective when used daily in providing the practitioner with psychic protection. I am not an expert on the Catholic Rite of Exorcism per se, but I would not recommend performing any such ritual unless the person doing so is well experienced in the ceremony.

Jen- I believe in both. I don't feel I'm personally qualified to perform exorcisms, and have not been asked to at this point in my high priestess duties. I have however read books on exorcism, one of them written by a priest for the layman. From what I've read it's a bit of both. The person being exorcised has to want to be exorcised (if indeed demonic possession is found to be the case). From what I've read about the Catholic Church's stand on exorcism, they go through rigors to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt it's a true possession and not a mental illness. And it's not done by just anyone, they do have priests who specialize in psychology. Anyhow, most of the movies are based upon possessions that turned out to be hoaxes. Of course, with records being sealed at the Vatican one will never know of any documented exorcisms without permissions. It's not like the church is publishing their activities online or in the paper for all to know about. I think that it's very possible for mental illness to mimic a true possession, and for a true possession to mimic a mental illness. I think that is why care must be taken to rule out both. Namaste-Anora

This is an awesome discussion. I've wondered about mental illnesses vs the spirit worlds myself. I don't know how you would tell the difference! I respect peoples different beliefs about "ghosts" "spirits" etc. I also know there ARE mental illnesses out there. The one question that I wonder about regularly is people who are schizophrenic. My understanding is that schizophrenia is when people "hear voices" or see people that aren't there... Then there are people who believe they see ghosts etc. I wonder if there are psychiatrists out there who believe in ghosts. I imagine there has to be at least SOME who do... How do you tell the difference? exorcism is another situation that brings up the same questions for me. I'm going to be interested to see what other responses you receive. Personally, I don't know how to tell the difference!

I think that each individual situation needs to be looked at. I think demon possession is rare but a true occurance. I think most of the time it is a mental illness and has to be evaluated and approached on that basis. If you have seen these movies you might want to read the books as well. They usually are more in depth and really tell it like it is.

well im up for a toss on this one, i do have a mentall illness call bipolar and a peronaly thing too. but i dont ask nothing like that. i know there is some mental illness where people do have multi personalty i seen this one lady all 15 of her came out. but i think the devil could take over other body and sould.

Demonic possession or mental illness. I've often wondered about that myself but I seriously think that it could probably be a little of both.

By mental professionals I presume you mean psychiatrists and psychologists and the like, in which case, I think their claims (The mental professionals) are hokum all the best urban

I had a co-worker who seemed to have one disaster after another. Another co-worker thought she needed an exercisism and asked if I could do one. Well, being the only practicing Orthodox or Catholic I guess I was sort of elected. Well, as a matter of fact, we had a lay exercisism in one of our church publications and I got a blessed cross, holy water and the lay exercisism and one day, during lunch, we preformed it. It was like the world turned around. She got a job, her ex - who had been stalking her - quit stalking her. She stopped having one car accident after another. Yes, I believe in exercisisms, and I knew someone who joined a church after witnessing one at the State Mental Hospital.

Lets just say," When a person allows demonic Thoughts a place in their life, its entirely possible to be possessed." This is a very common thing, but not generally understood. It happens every day and we see it as we watch the evening news on TV. Some guy ( under the influence) kills his wife. We have all been under the influence but we don't kill our spouses. The guy who does, is under the possession of a demonic spirit. He has allowed this alien Spirit a place in his mind, to such an extent that he is firmly in its command. The Scientific name for it is ,"Mental Illness." The religious name is "Demonic Possession."

girl, u better quit watching those wierd movies. lol. i guess i think it's a mental illness. i don't really think people can becone possessed. strange things happen tho.

well i dont know what i believe as far as demons.. i believe some one can be possessed by like evil spirits (ghosts etc) but as far as your question i DO think a lot can be explained by mental problems or maybe even people having seizures etc and not be a spiritual thing.. some people are so weak minded and open to suggestion that i think they may think they have something possessing them and if some one they truly believe says the demons are gone i seriously think some people may be "cured" because they seriously believe in it enough.. my dad has done some exoricisms and i seriously think some (not all but im for sure that some) were just faking for attention.. but thats just my opinion.. since i love studying psychological problems and medical problems i can see how a LOT of them could have been mistaken but when i am wondering though is that if it is a medical or psychological thing then why does it not come back a lot?? which is why i cant fully rule it out (demons) unless like i said the person was like seriously just fooling themselves into thinking they had a problem to begin with..

To tell you the truth, I can hardly understand your post. What I can understand is that you are talking bout people who behaves like they are caught with some ghosts, are you?

this is a subject that i am well versed on. Personal experience has given me a knowing of these things. May I start by saying that to "tinker" in things not known is a dangerous place to be, so on some subjects, one might carefully answer the question so as not to lead someone astray. Demon possesion has been around since the beginning of time. Many today seem to believe that only a few select religions have the corner market on the subject. Movies, made by idiots that walked whewre the should have ran such as the Exocist or Dameon exagerate and at the same time offer insight to the issue, though they leave a lot to simply be pondered. There are many that say that mental illness is caused by Satan and not chemicals. Well, I guess that can be argued on any level but the truth is that Demon possesion has many faces. I grew up in a place that fully believed and understood possesion. I watched no less than 30 "casting outs." We did not call them exorcisms. The bible says to "cast them out of one" as Jesus did when he cast the demons into a herd of pigs and caused them to run off a cliff. Demon possesion can come to one in many ways. Sometimes yes, it simply appears as though the person is "crazy." There are many in hospitals that could be freed by prayer. A man here said he himself exorcised demons and helped a person. I think that if that indeed did happen then he needs to give the praise and Glory to the one that is truly responsible. We do nothing such as this without Our Father in Heaven making it happen. We would have many Elders praying over one person and taking care that through prayer and belief were those people I saw freed made right again. I saw frogs come from peoples mouths and people acting as a dog before being freed. It was a learning that has stayed with me for a lifetime and left me knowing that Satan takes on many forms here on Earth and that only through God can they be saved. Demon possesion absolutely exists and casting out or exorcisms can free a person of this possesion. It is important that I say here that this is not a subject to be taken lightly nor approached by just anyone. There needs to be knowledgeable people involved and people that have teachings of this in their life. I have spent a lifetime knowing these things and I will boldly say I would NOT attempt such a thing myself. I don't have the confidence to take on such a thing as powwerful as this. I am not Catholic but as I said in the beginning, many religions and beliefs follow demon possesion. I am raised pentecostal but we are a non denominational people that believe that whatever your religions name is, if you have ears tohear and a desire to grow, then the doors are open. Jesus did for the Gentiles just as he did for Jews. He did not discriminate nor does he today. His words speak this in him saying "Where ever 2 or more are gathered in my name, there shall I also be." This also gives creedance to my words that no one man should ever take on this task by himself. He shpuld have the backing of the church when he does so. Do I think mental illness is demon possesion??? I think that it can be manifest in such a way. I think that as things that are good happen from our Father God, so do some bad things happen because of Satan. I believe that Satan can put things in our hearts and minds to cause us to do wrong things. No sane nor everyday man goes out and kills violently or rapes innocent without the influence of Satan. THAT, I Do believe. So just because you have a chemical disorder does NOT mean you are possesed. It means you have a chemical disorder. Darrel

When I was younger (about 15) I went through a series of incidents with demons. I knew very little about demons or demonic possession at the time... I never even saw the Exorcist. But I was struggling with my faith. The first encounter I actually experienced a levitated rapture. It was really quite amazing. After that, I regularly was attacked by demons, I could feel their hands holding me down and shaking me and I was not able to speak. Some would say that it probably was a seizure, but I was 100% conscious and my eyes were wide open. I could feel the hands grabbing me, and I could sense the evil, just as I sensed it in levitation. At first I thought that I must be dreaming, even though I ironically barely remember my dreams. Not to mention the fact that I never had a seizure before the demon attacks started or after they stopped. After it continued happening, I started doing research, and found that many Saints experienced levitated rapture, and most of the Biblical accounts of demons involved seizure-like episodes. I was never possessed though, just attacked. And I never went to a church leader because I was too scared. It actually ended up being a huge confirmation of faith for me, and as my faith grew stronger the attacks stopped. I am no longer haunted by demons. The funny thing is that a lot of the things that happened to "Emily Rose" in the movie also happened to me years before the movie came out. Anyway, my advice to anyone who senses demons is to immediately pray to God to remove the demons in the name of Jesus. Trust me and trust God, it will work.

I think it is possible to be possessed by sprits, those who have unfulfilled desires and wants to fulfill that desire through some other body. They may be bad sprits, and mostly bad sprits take possession. Yes, I have seen movies of exhorting evil sprits by different religions, be in Christian, Muslim or Hindu. Mostly this is done by Muslims. It happens and the poor person suffers a lot. It eerie and I would not wish in on my worst enemy.

Well, for the most part mental illness and demonic posession are two different things. What causes the confusion is that many people who are mentally ill can appear as if they are demonically posessed under the right emotional circumstances. Personally, I think that the people who think the mentally ill are all posessed are idiots and have no clue whatsoever as to the true nature of mental illness. It is a fact that people can be posessed. It's in the Bible and as a born again Christian I do believe this, but, it is important to understand that mental illness is NOT denomic posession. People who believe any different are very ignorant. Purrs, Catwoman=^..^= & Mija

I think it depends on certain factors. For instance, does the affected person speak in a language he/she never learned? I don't think a mentally ill person could do that, but a demon possessed person might since it's the demon speaking through the person rather than the person speaking. Also, feats of strength that are beyond a human's ability might be another indication of demon possession. Since Satan is in the world, demon possession is possible. However, I believe most of the situations are mental illness.

I don't belive on this type of thing. But I belive on magic. I think God exist in this world. Due to presence of God this world runs. God always do magic so that everybody can believe on them.

This is a kind of situation where I'm not expert on. As far as I know, this is the situation where you may not believe but it is there. Or in popular term "Believe it or not" BR.b

I don't believe people are possessed.There are people that do.I think sometime they are just mean. Good night