The psychological basis of “possession”

Spirit possession is an age-old phenomenon which is observed all over the world and has multiple connotations based on the cultural context in which it occurs. It typically involves an episodic disruption of behavior and an altered state of consciousness during which an individual’s personality is assumed to have been replaced by that of a human or animal spirit or by God /devil and in some cultures, even inanimate objects. Western European belief in demonic possession as a cause of mental disorder has been traced through the medieval and early modern periods – a prime example being the Salem witch trials. In recent times, thanks to the advance of modern medicine and psychiatric practices the range of disorders attributed to demonic possession has reduced drastically. However some of these beliefs are still alive today, and not just in uneducated, marginalized, or tribal communities as one may believe – illustrated by the Vatican announcing early in 2018 that they had seen an exponential rise in exorcism requests. 

Consideration of possession states may be divided into two aspects: (i) the individual's acceptance of themselves having been possessed, and (ii) an apparent altered state of consciousness. (Littlewood, 2004). Symptoms often include lack of motor control, abnormal locomotion and bodily postures, loss of personal identity /assumed identity of another, change in tone of voice or ‘speaking in tongues’ (Glossolalia), loss of awareness of surroundings and sense of time, powerful delusions, physical hyperactivity and strength, foaming from the mouth, seizures, and loss of memory following possession event. The field of psychology of course does not attribute these symptoms to demonic possession instead attempting to find fitting psychosocial and neurobiological explanations for the same. In DSM-IV, possession falls under the category of Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, with more specific research criteria (but not an official diagnosis) fitting Dissociative Trance Disorder (DTD). This is classified as Possession Trance Disorder (PTD) or Pathological Possession Trance (PPT) which is seen as a possible variant of dissociative identity disorder.

In fact, symptoms of assumed ‘possession’ are often extremely similar to those exhibited by individuals in dissociative states or suffering from dissociative disorders. In fact, in a study, ten persons undergoing exorcisms for devil trance possession state were studied with the Dissociative Disorders Diagnostic Schedule and the Rorschach test. These persons were all overwhelmed by paranormal experiences and claimed possession by a demon. Most Rorschach findings showed that these people had a complex personality organization. Most had severe impairment of reality testing, delusions and maladaptive coping patterns. Results of the study indicated that the possession trance displayed seems to be a distinct clinical manifestation of a dissociative continuum, sharing some features with dissociative identity disorder (Ferracuti et. al.1996). However, PTD (notably a new disorder) is not the only psychological phenomena lending its symptoms to beliefs about spirit or demonic possession.

 In a phenomenological sense, the subjective experience of possession--feeling influenced by some foreign force beyond the ego's control-- is, to some extent, an experiential aspect of most mental disorders. Fainting, foaming from the mouth and seizures are symptoms characteristic of an epileptic episode, delusions of control/persecution/grandeur and catatonia are common between possession states and paranoid schizophrenia. Tourette syndrome (TS) is another disease that has been mistaken for cases of spirit possession. Its clinical manifestations include the occurrence of multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics, lasting over one year, with onset of symptoms occurring during childhood; often accompanied by additional symptoms: attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Earlier believed by the catholic church as signaling an association with the devil, TS has of late been associated with genetic variations wherein an increased number of repetitions of recurrent copies occur, playing a role in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders. (Germiniani et. al. 2012)

However it must be noted that even though neurobiological studies of possession trances have revealed even more about the exact brain chemistry behind common symptoms of demonic/ spirit possession, they have also raised important questions about the same, which for the time being remain unanswered. Studies have found that conditions of stress promote the release of endogenous opiates, or endorphins, from the pituitary gland (Henry, 1982). These endorphins circulate through the blood and act on opiate receptors in the spinal cord, activating a mechanism that inhibits or reduces the amount of pain perceived by an individual while also inducing feelings of euphoria and ecstasy. Although very few data is available on the release of endorphins during the exact possession experience, it has been proved that they play a major role in the induction of altered states of consciousness (Prince, 1982). Especially striking is the effect of endorphins on an individual's pain threshold: endorphin release during the possession trance provides compelling explanation for the ability of the ‘possessed’ to engage in extraordinary feats of strength and pain tolerance. However, endorphin release cannot explain the absence of physical trauma, which is so often a feature of possession episodes. Mystery or not, one must admit that the phenomenon known historically as "possession" still persists today in differing forms and degrees as a very real disorder. The only difference is the way in which we now try to diagnose and treat it.

REFERENCES

Ferracuti, S., & Sacco, R. (1996). Dissociative Trance Disorder: Clinical and Rorschach Findings in Ten Persons Reporting Demon Possession and Treated by Exorcism. Journal of Personality Assessment,66(3), 525-539. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa6603_4

Germiniani, F. M., Miranda, A. P., Ferenczy, P., Munhoz, R. P., & Teive, H. A. (2012). Tourettes syndrome: From demonic possession and psychoanalysis to the discovery of gene. Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria,70(7), 547-549. doi:10.1590/s0004-282x2012000700014

Henry, J. L. (1982). Possible Involvement of Endorphins in Altered States of Consciousness. Ethos,10(4), 394-408. doi:10.1525/eth.1982.10.4.02a00080

Littlewood, R. (2004). Possession states. Psychiatry,3(8), 8-10. doi:10.1383/psyt.3.8.8.43392

Prince, R. (1982). The Endorphins:. Ethos,10(4), 303-316. doi:10.1525/eth.1982.10.4.02a00020

Prince, R. (1982). The Endorphins:. Ethos,10(4), 303-316. doi:10.1525/eth.1982.10.4.02a00020, S., & Sacco, R. (1996). Dissociative Trance Disorder: Clinical and Rorschach Findings in Ten Persons Reporting Demon Possession and Treated by Exorcism. Journal of Personality Assessment,66(3), 525-539. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa6603_4

Germiniani, F. M., Miranda, A. P., Ferenczy, P., Munhoz, R. P., & Teive, H. A. (2012). Tourettes syndrome: From demonic possession and psychoanalysis to the discovery of gene. Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria,70(7), 547-549. doi:10.1590/s0004-282x2012000700014

Henry, J. L. (1982). Possible Involvement of Endorphins in Altered States of Consciousness. Ethos,10(4), 394-408. doi:10.1525/eth.1982.10.4.02a00080

Littlewood, R. (2004). Possession states. Psychiatry,3(8), 8-10. doi:10.1383/psyt.3.8.8.43392

Prince, R. (1982). The Endorphins:. Ethos,10(4), 303-316. doi:10.1525/eth.1982.10.4.02a00020