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individual’s personality is assumed to have been replaced by that of a human or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
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
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