Name/NIM : Nathania Kusuma/00000005794
Lecturer : Wiwit Puspitasari Dewi, [Link].
Abnormality vs. Demonic/Spirit Posession
Since civilization has been constructed, humans struggle to seek explanation for behavioral
abnormalities. Before the age of scientific inquiries, people explain that odd behaviors and physical
illness were caused by evil satanic being or earth-bound spirit controlling an individuals mind and
body which eventually could harm the hosts life (Betty, 2005; Bull, 2001; Kring et al., 2012). The
doctrine which is known as demonology believes the only way to cure this spiritual illness is by
performing an act of exorcism. This ritualistic casting out of evil spirit can only be conducted by
Spiritualists (such as a priest or taoist) that are deemed as the supreme healer for both spiritual and
physical illnesses. Take Jesus Christ for example. His outstanding performance to cure physical
illness and perform exorcism to the possessed led many people sought Him throughout His
pilgrimage as written in the Bible.
In this modern agewhen science become the most authoritative source of answers to any
questionsincidents of demonic possession is still around. This paranormal phenomenon happens
mostly in areas that have demonic possession as one of the local cultures feature (Davey, 2014) and
is linked to the religious beliefs of the individuals (Hanwella et al., 2007). Individuals in developed
countriesespecially psychologisttries to explain this phenomenon by seeing demonic possession
as an effectnot the causeof mental illness. Neuner et al.s study of spirit possessions in waraffected region in Uganda (Davey, 2014) found that incidents of spirit possession in youths who were
abducted and undergone training to be soldierswhich produce trauma and distress (such as being
forced to kill)is significantly higher than children who werent abducted. Some might explain that
demonic possession is just misdiagnosed mental illness by lay people who are unaccustomed to seek
explanation to the medical model of abnormalities (Ferracuti, Sacco & Lazzari, 1996; Pfeifer, 1994).
Pfeifers (1994) study found that religious individuals who were diagnosed with schizophrenia and
anxiety disorders believed that they were possessed by demons and then sought for exorcism as a
treatment.
Apparently, some symptoms of the so-called demonic possession is analogous to abnormal
behaviors and cognition in some mental illness diagnosis. For example, the presence of a distinct
personality in cases of possession is also found in individuals who have Dissociative Identity
Disorder, and their supernatural knowledge is analogous to symptoms of delusion and hallucination
of individuals with schizophrenia (Kring et al., 2012). As a result, many academic researchers tries to
explain demonic/spiritual possession in the most scientific way as possiblesuch as claiming that
those are only symptoms of psychosis or as a yet ill-defined mental disorderas they deny the
objective reality of the paranormal beings (Betty, 2005; Diamond, 2012). Exorcism is being viewed
in that particular way as well. As many possessed individuals experience the ritual as subjectively
positive (Pfeifer, 1994), plenty of journals are dedicated to find the negative and positive effects of
exorcism to symptoms of mental illnesses as a means to use it therapeutically to heal patients who
believe that they are demonically possessed (Betty, 2005; Bull, 2001). Yet, some cases prove that the
objective existence of paranormal extraterrestrial beings is undeniably true although usually doubt by
secular and profound academic people. It is proved by baffling cases where possessed people speak
in a completely foreign language, possess superhuman strength, and experience unnatural physical
changes that is unexplainable by science (Betty, 2005).
In my opinion, our attempt to seek explanation and reason of demonic possession should be
ceased if the person is still biased into one of these two different kinds of metaphysical reality.
Paranormal phenomenon could not be scientifically explained by any means because the nature of
itself exist as a separate entity to science and otherwise contradictory to psychology as a formal
discipline of science (Plotnik, 2005). When we deal with science we think rationally using logic. On
the other hand, our concept of demonic possession is the product of an individuals magical thoughts
as a form of irrational thinking derived from our held tradition and superstition (Himawan, 2013).
Thus, these two separate metaphysical concept works in a different framework of mind so it becomes
nearly impossible to objectively combine them as a united concept, especially to those who are not
fully ready to integrate two different realities for a deeper understanding of this paranormal
phenomenon. Although many researchers in the paranormal field found that there could be a possible
mix of mental illness and demonic possession, people who are still inclined to dichotomize between
these two different concept would still object the fact (Betty, 2005).
I believe that people that have mental illness is also metaphorically possessed by the
demons that originally reside within ourselves. We are our demons, and those demons do have the
power to influence us in any ways possible. I realize that every mental illness emerge mostly due to
our inner qualitiessuch as our fear, anxiety, and other fleshly nature that resides in ourselvesthat
was once a part and then took over our whole selves as we let them grow inside us (Kring et al.,
2015). These demons could also influence us to do evilas in antisocial behaviorsthat eventually
transform us into malevolent beings that resembles them. These demons are real and will reside
throughout our livesusing and eventually destroying us in any means possibleas we are naturally
sinful beings. But it is our choice to fight them through the work of God or let them grow and take
our whole entity.
References
Alkitab. (2004). Jakarta : Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia.
Betty, S. (2005). The Growing Evidence For Demonic Possession: What Should Psychiatry?s
Response Be? Journal of Religion and Health, 13-30. doi:10.1007/s10943-004-1142-9
Bull, D. (2001). A Phenomenological Model of Therapeutic Exorcism for Dissociative Identity
Disorder. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 29(2), 131-139.
Davey, G. (2014, December 31). 'Spirit Possession' and Mental Health. Retrieved September 5,
2015, from [Link]
Diamond, S. (2012, January 17). The Devil Inside: Psychotherapy, Exorcism and Demonic
Possession. Retrieved September 5, 2015, from
[Link]
Diamond, S. (2015, February 4). The Depravity of Violence: Responding to Radical Evil.
Retrieved September 5, 2015, from [Link]
Ferracuti, S., Sacco, R. & Lazzari, 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.
Hanwella, R., Silva, V., Yoosuf, A., Karunaratne, S., & Silva, P. (2012). Religious Beliefs,
Possession States, and Spirits: Three Case Studies from Sri Lanka. Case Reports in
Psychiatry, 1-3. doi:10.1155/2012/232740
Himawan, K. (2013). Pemikiran Magis: Ketika Batas Antara Magis dan Logis Menjadi Bias.
Jakarta: Indeks.
Tajima-Pozo et al. (2011). Practicing Exorcism in Schizophrenia. BMJ Case Reports.
doi:10.1136/bcr.10.2009.2350
Kring, A., Johnson, S., Davison, G., & Neale, J. (2012). Dissociative Disorders. In Abnormal
Psychology (12th ed., pp. 233). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Kring, A., Johnson, S., Davison, G., & Neale, J. (2012). Introduction and Historical Overview. In
Abnormal Psychology (12th ed., pp. 8-10). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Pfeifer, S. (1994). Belief in demons and exorcism in psychiatric patients in Switzerland. British
Journal of Medical Psychology, 67, 247-258.
Plotnik, R. (2005). Module 1: Discovering Psychology. In Introduction to Psychology (7th ed.,
pp. 4). Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education
