Demonic Possession – Is It Real?
Another highly controversial topic in the realm of paranormal activity is possession. Science has ignored this subject for decades, and experts cannot come to a consensus. Is possession merely a figment of the imagination, or can it be medically explained? And is it even possible for a foreign entity to enter the body and mind of a living person? In fact, there are several types of possession. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at demonic possession.
According to legends, demonic possession occurs when a person’s body is invaded by demons or even Satan himself. (Note: the information in this article is for informational purposes only. If you believe you have experienced demonic possession, seek professional help.)
Who Becomes Possessed?
Demonic entities can enter our world through so-called "gateways." A gateway is a vulnerable area of one’s life that may open during certain life events — intentionally or unintentionally. Intentional openings include participation in occult groups, where individuals knowingly engage in rituals to summon demons. Unintentional openings might result from traumatic experiences (like the death of a loved one, car accidents, etc.) or “harmless” experiments with things like tarot cards or incantations.
A well-known case of unintentional summoning is the true story of a boy named Robbie Doe. Robbie began experiencing attacks by an unknown force in 1949, shortly after playing with the well-known Ouija board. Soon, unexplained things began happening in his room — clothes thrown about, his bed shaking at night, furniture falling over. Robbie was a Lutheran, so his family initially turned to a Lutheran priest. Though Robbie attended regular sessions, the situation only worsened. He began showing physical injuries — scratches, bruises, contusions — and often woke up several meters from his bed in unusual positions. Since Lutherans don’t believe in exorcism, a Catholic priest was called.
At first, the priest recommended placing containers of holy water and candles in Robbie’s room. But one day, the candles fell over and nearly caused a house fire. The priest then visited Robbie in person. During his visit, Robbie displayed bizarre behaviors — like fluently speaking Latin, a language he had never studied. Robbie was later admitted to a psychiatric hospital and strapped to a bed. It was there that the priest attempted an exorcism ritual — but without success. Robbie’s room was left looking like a grenade had gone off, and one record claims Robbie injured the priest so badly that he required over 100 stitches. After that, the priest abandoned further attempts at exorcism.
Another well-known case is that of Anneliese Michel, whose real-life story inspired the film The Exorcism of Emily Rose. For that reason, we won’t detail the full story here.
Can a Religious Person Be Possessed?
Yes — and no. It depends on the perspective. From one viewpoint, a devout person (in the Christian faith, for example) is seen as a servant of God, and thus protected by Him. That would mean evil forces should not be able to possess such a person.
However, one must also acknowledge that every human, believer or not, is a sinner — and sin can be a gateway through which demonic forces enter. This might have been the case for Anneliese Michel, who came from a strict Catholic family. But this reasoning only applies if one accepts the existence of good and evil in the first place.
When discussing possession, people typically divide into two camps:
- Those who believe the behavior is truly the result of demonic possession, and
- Those who reject the concept of good and evil, angels and demons, and instead attempt to explain everything rationally or medically.
But are those the only two options? What if the person is being telepathically controlled from somewhere else — on Earth or in space? What if someone is performing voodoo rituals or similar magic on them? What if their existence is oscillating between dimensions? Or being manipulated by beings from another planet?
There could be dozens of possible explanations — and they may have nothing to do with demons or the devil. In such cases, the person’s faith or lack thereof becomes completely irrelevant.
Medical Explanations of Possession
From a medical perspective, there are three disorders that closely resemble the symptoms of possession:
- Epilepsy
- Schizophrenia
- Hysteria
Epilepsy can cause seizures, agitation, convulsions, and sometimes even hallucinations. Reports of people’s eyes turning black, strange growling or murmuring sounds, or memory loss could all be symptoms of epilepsy.
Hysteria, also a mental disorder, can produce uncontrollable body movements, violent seizures accompanied by screaming, bodily contortion, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and more — very similar to the classic signs of possession.
Schizophrenia is another disorder with similar symptoms. One of the most common is hearing voices — which many attribute to demons. It can also include hallucinations, delusions, incoherent speech, and stiffness of the limbs.
Doctors therefore tend to see “possession” as nothing more than mental illness.
But how then do we explain the other manifestations — like fluent speaking of foreign or ancient languages, superhuman strength, predicting the future, moving objects, levitation, and so on?
Is demonic possession real — or is it simply a mental disorder?
Could there be something else behind it?
The choice is yours.