Mental Illness Vs Demonic Possession?

[musicayla]

So, I started my psych rotation this week, and am beginning to wonder how many people we classify as "mentally ill" are really healthy and being possessed. As a healthcare worker, I have seen people who do have very real mental illnesses, so I don't buy into the "all or none" facts, but I'm just curious what other people think. Is there a way to "diagnose" demon possession? I know from the Bible that is also a very real thing...but the symptoms are so similar. Thoughts? Comments?

 

[Lewis]

Both are very real, and a lot of times you can look into peoples eyes and see the demon in them. But anyway some cases are some kind of chemical imbalance and some are demon possession. And in the cases of the born again demon influenced.
Demons roam about the earth looking for bodies to dwell in, and secular psychiatrist refuse to believe this, that is why many times their success rate is low. I have also seen them medicate the demon possessed and it does not work in curing the problem, it just restrains the person.

 

[Alabaster]

Both are very real. However, Jesus Christ has come to heal and deliver us of all of it.

 

[Strangelove]

Well, if you are not in Christ then you are living in sin. Which is demonic posession. So the remedy is to seek Christ.

As for mental illness, the remedy is the same. There should be spiritual (mental) peace and comfort in Christ. If your not getting it then there must be a problem with your walk.

A touchy subject I've noticed on forums as so many seem to partake.

REV 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at
all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for
by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.​

Check the Greek on 'sorceries'.

Doc.

 

[jasoncran]

So, I started my psych rotation this week, and am beginning to wonder how many people we classify as "mentally ill" are really healthy and being possessed. As a healthcare worker, I have seen people who do have very real mental illnesses, so I don't buy into the "all or none" facts, but I'm just curious what other people think. Is there a way to "diagnose" demon possession? I know from the Bible that is also a very real thing...but the symptoms are so similar. Thoughts? Comments?

having been around this stuff most of life in some shape form or another.

i think its both, some do really have needs for meds and others really dont need meds but need prayer and healing from God. well both groups do, but if part of them brain isnt working YOU need to stay on the meds unless you are healed

case in point, last sunday my pastor talked about modern medicine and that God does heal but that when we fast we must consult our doctors if so need be.

he mention this actual event, a member of fellow church went on a thirty day fast and was on meds. he tooks his kids to his job( a steel plant or such like) to show them what his job was like. when he went into the plant he had two kids with them. when he left the plant he alone left. he didnt even realise that he shoved his kids into a furnance thus killing them!!!!!!!!!

 

[musicayla]

I'm thinking I didn't make myself clear..haha. I firmly believe that there are people out there that are possessed, and those that are mentally ill. My problem is...how do you distinguish? The symptoms of a person with schizophrenia and a person possessed by a demon are basically identical.

 

[jasoncran]

I'm thinking I didn't make myself clear..haha. I firmly believe that there are people out there that are possessed, and those that are mentally ill. My problem is...how do you distinguish? The symptoms of a person with schizophrenia and a person possessed by a demon are basically identical.

if you live for God, dont worry the demons will tremble and they will avoid you with a passion.

i know a member of my old church who had a kid on her bus that was possesed and she asked him one day to stop being a hellion as he bullied others and he heard her pray and call on the lord. and he(the demon) said i ask this as i know that your a woman of God . if you dont call on him in front of me, i will act as i should on this bus, as this child wants me to be in him.

thus was that agreement as one cant cast out a demon without the consent of the possesed as they will just invite them back and they will worse them before.

 

[Alabaster]

I'm thinking I didn't make myself clear..haha. I firmly believe that there are people out there that are possessed, and those that are mentally ill. My problem is...how do you distinguish? The symptoms of a person with schizophrenia and a person possessed by a demon are basically identical.

One schizophrenic I know had to leave his home and family as he was out of control, with violence. There was a demon in the house as well, terrorizing the wife and one daughter. When he left his house the demon left with him.

There is no harm in casting out a demon even if there isn't one there. It certainly serves Satan notice.

 

[Evointrinsic]

I'm actually curious to know the answer of how to know which is a mental illness and which is a demonic possession, but I have yet to see anyone actually answer the question. Is there anyone who can tell us how to know which is which?

 

[theLords]

I'm thinking I didn't make myself clear..haha. I firmly believe that there are people out there that are possessed, and those that are mentally ill. My problem is...how do you distinguish? The symptoms of a person with schizophrenia and a person possessed by a demon are basically identical.

Spiritual discernment! How do you get spiritual discernment? A close, intimate, personal relationship with the Lord, prayer (ask and you shall receive), and Bible study (the Bible is the ultimate litmus test for a Christian.)

 

[Lewis]

I'm thinking I didn't make myself clear..haha. I firmly believe that there are people out there that are possessed, and those that are mentally ill. My problem is...how do you distinguish? The symptoms of a person with schizophrenia and a person possessed by a demon are basically identical.

Oh you were clear, and I gave you a clear answer in pertaining to what you were asking.

 

[Strangelove]

I'm thinking I didn't make myself clear..haha. I firmly believe that there are people out there that are possessed, and those that are mentally ill. My problem is...how do you distinguish? The symptoms of a person with schizophrenia and a person possessed by a demon are basically identical.

So is it possible that these two afflictions are in fact the same?

 

[Adstar]

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I'm actually curious to know the answer of how to know which is a mental illness and which is a demonic possession, but I have yet to see anyone actually answer the question. Is there anyone who can tell us how to know which is which?

Well the biblical answer is that God gives one the ability to discern spirits. So if one is given the gift it would be the Holy Spirit within them that would just let them know if a supposed "psychiatric person" was possessed by a demon.

I doubt there is some kind of symptom or sets of signs that anyone could learn about that would clearly reveal a case of demonic possession.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Strangelove]

I doubt there is some kind of symptom or sets of signs that anyone could learn about that would clearly reveal a case of demonic possession.

How 'bout your head spinning 360 degrees?

 

[Adstar]

How 'bout your head spinning 360 degrees?

Did you watch that movie too.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Alabaster]

So is it possible that these two afflictions are in fact the same?

Yes.

 

[Evointrinsic]

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->Well the biblical answer is that God gives one the ability to discern spirits. So if one is given the gift it would be the Holy Spirit within them that would just let them know if a supposed "psychiatric person" was possessed by a demon.

I doubt there is some kind of symptom or sets of signs that anyone could learn about that would clearly reveal a case of demonic possession.

So what your saying is that only specific people can know if someone was possessed, and even then they can't really know the signs and/or symptoms of being possessed?

That doesn't seem very efficient. Why not give everyone the ability?

 

[theLords]

So what your saying is that only specific people can know if someone was possessed, and even then they can't really know the signs and/or symptoms of being possessed?

That doesn't seem very efficient. Why not give everyone the ability?

The people who get to know are the people who need to know. Everyone has a different calling in the Lord. Casting out demons is not to be taken lightly, but usually requires days of prayer and fasting. Also the person who will be delivered needs to want to find salvation because the Bible says that 7 demons may return in it's place.

Matthew 12
43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

If one is filled with the Holy Spirit one cannot be demonically possessed.

I lived with a demonically possessed person for a year. I had a "feeling" that this person was possessed, but did not want to tell my friend that. (Oh, hey, your relative's possessed by a demon! Simply did not go over well in my head) This person was diagnosed as bipolar and manic depressive. This person could turn the "crazy" on and off when this person needed too (like to prevent from going to the psych ward or to get what this person wanted.) This person hated listening to Biblical teachings/Scripture, could not sleep with an open Bible next to the body, had a strange need to close open Bibles and erase Scriptures from off of a dry erase board. You could see it in this person's eyes when the "change" took place. There were many, many other things that I won't get into detail about.

Well, a few months later the Lord gave my friend a dream and revealed to my friend that my friend's relative is demonically possessed. Once this was revealed the demon began to act out aggressively. As in trying to kill people and talking as its self.

That's all I'm willing to say though. There's a lot more to this story.

Basically, casting out demons is not something to mess with. In the same manner that an MD has to go through 8 years of school plus residency, a Christian who is called to cast out demons should take that calling just as seriously. That's my 2 cents, anyway.

 

[Strangelove]

The people who get to know are the people who need to know. Everyone has a different calling in the Lord. Casting out demons is not to be taken lightly, but usually requires days of prayer and fasting. Also the person who will be delivered needs to want to find salvation because the Bible says that 7 demons may return in it's place.

Are you saying you see Matt 12:43 as like....a playbook for banishing demons from the posessed? And the fasting bit is from the 'swept clean and put in order' part yes?

 

[theLords]

Are you saying you see Matt 12:43 as like....a playbook for banishing demons from the posessed? And the fasting bit is from the 'swept clean and put in order' part yes?

Don't bother. I'm not going to engage you.