Catholic priests work with mental-health professionals to discern what is mental illness and what is demonic possession. In fact, the Catholic Church demands this cooperation before considering an exorcism.
Exorcism _ St. Francis Borgia
Listed in the Roman Ritual are five indicators of possible demonic possession: 1) speaking foreign or ancient languages of which the possessed has no prior knowledge; 2) supernatural abilities and strength; 3) knowledge of hidden or remote things which the possessed has no way of knowing; 4) an aversion to anything holy; 5) profuse blasphemy and/or sacrilege. When these (
obvious) signs of possible demonic possession are
absent, the “rite of exorcism” is usually
denied by the local bishop.
In his book, An Exorcist Tells His Story, Fr. Gabriele Amorth writes about Demonic Possession: “This occurs when Satan takes full possession of the body (not the soul); he speaks and acts without the knowledge or consent of the victim, who therefore is morally blameless.” Fr. Amorth advises, “to fix a set ‘model’ for demonic possession would be a serious mistake; the affliction runs the gamut of symptoms and severity.”
There are other (less obvious) signs of possible demonic possession (and partial possession), but these are usually considered signs of (and dismissed as) demonic oppression or obsession -- or misdiagnosed as mental illness. Therefore, the rite of exorcism is not warranted.
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While it is true that "full possession" is rare, "partial possession" is quite common. Partial possession exists when a demon enters one’s body and takes control over a specific area of one’s life, a specific aspect of one’s character and personality...
The partially possessed person is "demonized" -- that is, has an evil spirit inside the body. Such a person may sense that something is wrong -- but no connection is made with the demonic. One can be full of anger, have uncontrollable rage, and be violent... One can be full of lust and have insatiable desires or unnatural passions... One can be full of fear, have crippling phobias or experience paralysis... Although one is able to function normally most of the time, one suffers internally with something from which there seems to be no relief. The demon remains hidden within the body -- until it is provoked by a priest or deliverance minister. And when the demon feels threatened, there will be manifestations that expose it.
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Priests work with mental-health professionals to discern what is mental illness and what is demonic possession. But during this time of testing and observation, a truly possessed person may not necessarily show signs of possession.
[“The fallen angels did not lose their natural knowledge by their sin; nor did they lose their angelic intellect.” _ Saint Thomas Aquinas, The Summa Theologica]
Demons often hide within the victim’s body during the discernment process... Observation by a mental-health professional poses no threat to them. However, provocation by a priest will cause demons to manifest and reveal themselves. But today this rarely happens.
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Schizophrenia _ People diagnosed with schizophrenia can experience bizarre hallucinations, delusions… disorganized thinking and hearing internal voices. But are these only psychotic manifestations?
Allentown, PA (2011) _
A psychiatric nurse took me to see a woman who was locked away in a private, psychiatric facility. The woman was suicidal and being treated for “schizophrenia.” Although heavily medicated and sedated, the voices in her head did not stop. She described a constant “chatter” that would neither give her a moment of peace nor allow her to sleep at night.
This woman knew she was not schizophrenic. She exclaimed, “NOT VOICES -- CHATTER!” But the staff at this psychiatric facility did not understand what she was saying. Rather, they kept her heavily medicated and sedated with powerful, antipsychotic drugs and locked up behind closed doors.
In one email, the woman wrote: “I’ve had soooo many out of my body experiences (supernatural abilities) again. I’ll have to explain more explicit about that… I have had two kinds of light. the bad, and the good. each side was big experience… but I feel like I have no god, and he doesn’t exist, I always feel so lost, alone. and this is why I get suicidal thought, cause I feel no one is helping me, and I lose all interests, but dear, death is here, it’s touching me (physical contact by a demon). I feel like life is sad...death is better. death is perfection. like suicides my job. do you really think I will go to hell if I kill myself? or is your god so trusting and forgiving, and he’d just take me cause he loves everybody and doesn’t want them to suffer?”
In another email, she wrote: “…I’m not used to all this god stuff, I’ve really only known the other side (the dark side), and all the things we would have to do to those animals… and their was lots of blood involved, cutting, and a whole lot of sexual and physical abuse (Satanic ritual abuse; profuse blasphemy and/or sacrilege). I had five abortions from that sick man. and I didn’t want his evil parts of me in my body, so I aborted them all. It was constant rape (extreme trauma) and he’d put some kind of powder in the blood to drink (black magic). I think it made us in more of his control, so we couldn’t resist, so it made it easier for him to control us. I cant talk no more,....they (?) want me off the computer…”
I knew the psychiatric nurse from another case; and, the possessed woman was one of her patients when she worked in the state hospital. I still remember how (unnaturally) cold the woman’s (temperature-controlled) room was -- evidence of a demonic presence.
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Q: Can you imagine how many possessed people are heavily medicated and sedated with powerful, antipsychotic drugs and locked up behind closed doors in state hospitals and private, psychiatric facilities?
A: However many there may be, one thing is certain. Their numbers are growing!
Abandoning Christianity, many people are turning to the Occult… Living in a hostile and aggressive secularist (Godless) society/culture, we can expect to encounter more and more people under the influence of the demonic.
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Dissociative Identity Disorder / Multiple Personality Disorder _ People diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder can experience dissociative amnesia… and “switching” to alternate identities when under stress. But are these only psychotic manifestations?
Oakland, CA (1991) _ A young woman had been misdiagnosed as having MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder). Her psychotherapist did not realize that her “multiple personalities” were actually demons.
[The reality of “Satanic ritual abuse” has been investigated, and denied by many, over the years... but God has allowed me to witness the “trauma” -- the aftermath -- of Satanic ritual abuse.]
IS SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE REAL?
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TESTIMONY.
In August 1991, I was told by a friend about two people who were good in spiritual deliverance. I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk to them. I was afraid that they would tell me that I had to make drastic changes in my life. I wasn’t prepared to give up the lifestyle I was leading.
Since I was very young, I had been involved with a Satanic cult. I was born into the cult and forced to perform hideous acts. Because of all this abuse I developed severe emotional problems. My therapist thought I was a multiple personality -- and I was convinced that these separate entities were good and that they should be there. I enjoyed being different people at times and I would often ask these entities to perform tasks that I didn’t want to (perform).
But life was not all calm for me. I was often suicidal, very depressed, always in some sort of crisis and very self-destructive. I wanted to leave the Satanic cult, but the “personalities” kept drawing me back to the cult. I hated going to the Satanic rituals, but I couldn’t stop. I was so oppressed I couldn’t think of anything but the horrible experiences I had gone through. I was preoccupied with revenge and self-pity. I was constantly reaching out for help, which I sometimes didn’t get. I burned out friends because I was so emotionally needy.
God prepared me to accept what Gene and Mary had to say to me. I didn’t want to believe at first that these “personalities” were actually demons. I didn’t want them to leave. I liked them, cherished them, and didn’t know how to live without them. But when Gene and Mary prayed for me, I knew they were right. Several times I was sick with a fever or in pain, and when Gene prayed, I was healed. The demon “personalities” knew that Gene and Mary were Christians and were able to help deliver me. The demons spat at them and wanted to bite them. The demons cursed them and yelled and screamed.
But when I wanted them to leave, they had no right to stay when Gene and Mary commanded them to leave. So many demons were cast out, some went easily, and others took a lot of work. Memories had to be brought to the surface, hurt emotions had to be healed and forgiveness given to the perpetrators before some demons would leave. We met together many times and Gene and Mary were so loving and gentle to me. Though there were a few times when Gene became firm because I wouldn’t listen or was being stubborn.
Most of all the demons are gone and much healing has taken place. I feel so much better. No longer do I wallow in self-pity or obsessively think about the horrible tortures I had endured. No longer do I hate my parents who did all this to me. I know that God has restored to me all the things that Satan had stolen from me. I know that God has blessed me and has turned a horrible past into a promising future.
-Linda
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Demonic Possession occurs within the body. Demonic Oppression occurs outside the body. Demonic Obsession occurs in the mind.
In his book, An Exorcist Tells His Story, Fr. Gabriele Amorth explains:
Demonic Oppression _ “There is no possession, loss of consciousness, or involuntary action and word,” just severe to mild events that plague the individual. Fr. Amorth points to Job’s severe afflictions and St. Paul’s thorn in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7). Fr. Amorth reveals that he and his fellow exorcists “run into a great number of people who have been struck by the devil in their health, jobs or relationships.”
Demonic Obsession _ “Symptoms include sudden attacks, at times ongoing, of obsessive thoughts, sometimes even rationally absurd, but of such nature that the victim is unable to free himself.” Moreover, “the obsessed person lives in a perpetual state of prostration, desperation, and attempts at suicide. Almost always, obsession influences dreams.”
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