Demonic attacks or psychological issues?

  • Thread starter Thread starter AnnieTH
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AnnieTH

Guest
I don’t really know where to ask this so forgive me as I’m semi new here (used to have an account years ago but this site has upgraded and changed). 🙂

I am a devoted with and mother. We homeschool our children. My husband and I have a firm, Christ-centered marriage.

But…I’ve dealt with demonic influences for most of my life. For the most part, they’re subtle and during dreams. There was a period in my 20s when physical manifestations happened but I cannot say for sure it was my own battle or the home we lived in during that time.

Anyways, lately I’ve been having a lot of demonic dreams which often result in explicit sexual images and physical responses from me. I wake feeling violated actually. I pray, light a holy candle, etc. This isn’t exactly new-- it’s happened throughout my life but recently been getting worse. At my old parish the priest did decide to do an exorcism, however nothing really changed afterwards. I am at a new parish now and have been hesitant to talk about it with the priest(s) bc often it’s assumed I must watch pornography or graphic television shows, etc. I don’t. I hate even having to defend that bc it’s pretty assumptive and hurtful. However, the other night was a pretty bad experience so I went to see a priest yesterday and he recommended I contact the deliverance ministry and suggested I’ve suppressed memories of abuse or that I am being tormented demonically. I don’t recall any abuse as a child. I was involved with a pretty bad person when my parents divorced in my early 20s. He took me in, was 15 years older and I’d never dated or had a boyfriend. The things that happened with him were very abusive but I wasn’t a child and I didn’t suppress anything. The priest said he’d get further involved if the ministry felt it was needed.

I just don’t know what to make of all this-- I am confused. I sincerely don’t know if it’s all in my own head or if there’s something more sinister going on? Looking for similar stories or experiences.

Thank you
 
I’m sorry you’re going through this. I definitely think speaking to a psychologist might help you, especially as you say it’s been getting worse lately.

I’m sorry to not be able to give you any more advice. I hope you can work it out.
 
No. In my 20s-- when I was with that older guy-- I had fallen away from the church. He used to say he wouldn’t enter a church bc he’d probably ignite. Sometimes I wonder if my torments have to do with him bc he had a terrible addiction problem and I wonder if he’s still alive, but I can’t find any record that he’s not.
 
Yeah, that’s what I am trying to figure out but I tend to think it’s not bc I don’t have any aversions to Christ or Mass. I am not engaging in sinful practices. I frequent confession and make honest admissions. I pray the rosary almost daily. I fast appropriately. If it were demonic oppression I don’t think those practices would be followed so diligently (by God’s grace only).

Anyways-- thanks for trying to help.
 
Thank you. I am reaching out to a Catholic psychologist to see if maybe I can determine through counseling is maybe I am suppressing abuse or trauma that is impacting my sleep in a subconscious state. I will start here and see if it gets better. Not sure I am ready for deliverance work just yet.
 
I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this. Why don’t you try praying the St. Micheal prayer? In the meantime, you need to talk to your parish priest. He can help you. I hope this helps!!! God bless!!! ❤️
 
Thank you. I pray the St. Michael daily-- almost hourly-- and often when these attacks occur. St. Michael is my most prayed prayer aside from the Hail Mary. 🙂 Thank you again. Priests tend to find this topic uncomfortable-- they don’t like talking about it and I feel immediately I am labeled as “off” somehow which is why I usually only do it in confession behind a screen-- even then, I’ve had priests dismiss me quickly.
 
There are some possibilities to consider (these may not be all but probably the most likely):
  1. Purely demonic:
    You are being affected by demons, and it has nothing whatever to do with any psychological problems
  2. Purely psychologic:
    You are not being affected by demons, and it has everything to do with psychology.
  3. Partially psychologic, partially demonic:
    Both may be involved, and mixed in difficult to discern ways
  4. It is a demonic attack preying upon natural psychological defenses:
    There’s nothing abnormal about your psyche, but the demons may be preying upon some psychological defense you have.
You say you have no trauma, but that is difficult to perceive. If you were to have trauma, it is possible you would not consciously remember it as a way to deal with the high levels of abuse occurring. The good news is that if you go to get a full-on exorcism, there will be a psychological evaluation to see if you have psychological issues.
In the meantime, I am no expert, but I think you should carefully go into the past and look at your past, all the way through childhood through adulthood: were you ever hurt, wounded (physically or emotionally) by anything that happened? Go back and be emotionally honest with God about how it made you feel, then forgive them truthfully from the heart (this is harder than it may sound).
If it still bothers you, and you are healthy, pray and fast. Fasting doesn’t have to be from food, but from some legitimate pleasure. If you do do it from food, do it healthily; you don’t have to just stop eating but could eat a lot less, for instance. But, importantly, pray, pray, pray!
I hope and pray it will get better for you. God bless.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I found a local Catholic counselor who I’m going to meet with and see if he can help navigate this. I don’t have any other signs of demonic possession so I think it’s probably some type of suppressed trauma but at the same time I’ve been experiencing this demons who I can visually describe since childhood. There was an instance as a teenager when I fell asleep and woke with a someone holding me down. When I opened my eyes there was a black figure/shadow standing over me. I remember running out of the room and then proceeded to run out of the house to my mom’s house (after my parents divorce they moved within walking distance to one another). But other than that, they’ve always appeared in dream states. But perhaps the most disturbing part (for me anyways) is the sexual component. It messes with my head and my wholesome relationship with my husband. Again, I am repeatedly asked if I have some pornographic addiction and the answer is no. I don’t and never have watched porn.
 
It’s also worth ruling out any sleep disorders such as sleep paralysis and other parasomnias. Maybe speak to your doctor?
 
You’re welcome!!! ❤️ Holy water can help as well. I still think you should talk to your parish priest, or, if not your parish priest, a different priest who is comfortable talking about it. A priest can probably help you and even perform an exorcism for you. I’ll be praying for you!!! God bless!!! ❤️
 
I’m glad that you found a Catholic Psychologist 🙂 I think you’re definitely on the right path here.
 
I see. Now, be careful. At first, you very much denied some trauma, but now you seem resigned to it. If this is getting to the truth, wonderful! But if this is just sorta accepting it and even starting to believe it because you’re told it, then that’s not so good.
I will hope your counselor takes good care of you. If he is an orthodox Catholic, that is wonderful.
But I did notice that you have admitted of some sort of divorce between your parents. Did this perhaps make you feel some resentment you hid deep inside? This is hopefully something the counselor will explore.
Now, just because these experiences are sexually explicit, (I am no expert, but I would imagine) it doesn’t necessarily mean that the actual trauma it is toward is sexual. At least, I would not think so, even if it would be a very direct explanation.

Even if there is mostly psychological stuff going on, there may still be some demonic activity. Regardless of the fine details, just trust in God. God bless and thanks for your honesty.
 
Well, I guess by trauma I mean in the context of oppressed sexual molestation which seems to often be the triggers or cause for these types of strange, demonic dreams. I mean, we all have trauma to some degree or another and my parent’s divorce wasn’t traumatic (they were very friendly and in fact are back together and married again currently) but the relationship with the older man during the interim, no doubt, was. It’s just I think it’s often assumed I’m somehow engaging or evoking these occurrences and if I am, I don’t know how…which leads me to think there must be something subconscious going on which honestly I’m not to keen on discovering-- I am kind of good not knowing but the frequency of these disturbances increasing are leading me to now think, you know if I can resolve this so they stop-- however painful that may be-- I would rather do that bc they make me feel pretty icky for quite a few days with upset stomach, headache, etc.
 
Don’t be afraid of what’s going on deep inside. When we understand that, then we can forgive whoever hurt us and live more emotionally honest lives in love of God.
I will pray for you. God bless.
 
I’m sorry to hear about the situation you’re experiencing, Annie. I can only imagine your confusion about the source of these experiences, and your embarrassment about what others may think when you tell them.

I don’t have a similar story or experience to offer you – but I would sincerely suggest seeing a counsellor or psychologist about how to understand and cope with these disturbing dreams. While your priest surely means well, I think he made a mistake by suggesting you’re suppressing childhood abuse; that’s a largely discredited phenomenon, and a mental health professional would have the training not to take random shots in the dark like that (especially since such speculation might result in you accidentally constructing ‘false memories’ to make the explanation fit).

I think a qualified mental health professional (probably best to find one who respects your Catholicism and won’t try to talk you into ‘embracing’ any sexually inappropriate aspect) could be very helpful for you, in terms of helping you to understand both potential natural reasons for such dreams, and to cope with the negative feelings that follow the dreams. Such a professional might also help you work through any other issues you may have in the relationship area beyond this, or any other ‘intrusive thoughts’ you may experience while awake, and that might just be healthy in general even if it’s not related to the dreams.

One Scripture verse I would suggest for you is Matthew 15:17-20
"…Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and so passes on? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
Click to expand...
I would apply this to your dreams, as well. These dreams are coming to you without the consent or desire of your heart – and so they cannot truly defile you. (I offer this in the hopes that realizing it might help you feel less ‘violated’.) Can you find your way to interpreting every time you wake up and roll your eyes about one of these dreams (that you didn’t will, and do not act on in your waking life) as a reaffirmation of your success, that the enemy is throwing a weapon at you but you’re cooperating with God’s grace to bear and overcome that, and reject these images and physical responses upon waking? I’d personally take it as evidence that you’re in the battle, and winning. Because when you wake, you reject the enemy’s provocations against you, and that’s what shows your true choice (and heart).
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top