Schizophrenia vs Demonic influence

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ChristRocket

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Without getting into detail, but just noting that this is based on a real life situation, with one of my extremely loved one, where do we draw the line?

Has anyone dealt with this situation? What are signs of Demonic influence vs. Schizophrenia.
 
The Catholic Church has always been reluctant to blame anything on strict demonic activity when a simple mental disorder will account for it.

The mind is not the same thing as the soul, but is instead a function of the brain, which is part of the body. Schizophrenia is correspondingly a sickness of the brain that manifests itself in how a person thinks and what they experience.

Demonic activity is usually accompanied by the paranormal, such as objects getting mysteriously thrown around, levitation, or speaking other languages that the possessed should not know (real languages, like Greek or Latin, not the wacky gibberish that some people think qualifies as “speaking in tongues.”)

I’m certainly no demonologist, but my guess is that if you’re not sure, it’s probably schizophenia (or some similar mental disorder).

Here’s the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the subject if you want more authoritative information. And while saying a Vade Retro Satana or a prayer to St. Michael the Archangel certainly couldn’t hurt, be sure they are also getting whatever medicinal treatment they need.

Good luck and God bless.
 
Schizophrenia responds to medication. (Someone please correct me if I am mistaken.) I’m pretty sure there is always a response. If there is no response to meds, then the diocesan office could be contacted to inquire about a priest who has been appointed exorcist for that diocese to look into the matter.

That is one way to begin. The exorcist then makes a careful inquiry based on many pieces of data as to the nature of the person’s problem. The church is not hasty in making a determination one way or another.

More than nine times out of ten, the person is suffering from mental illness. Mental health professionals are always the first persons to contact when a person is in distress of some kind.
 
Our mind is rather a function of our soul, residing in our head.

As such, psychological (which literally means “of the soul”) problems can be biomedical, or spiritual in nature.

The Church will not look for spiritual causes of a mental issue unless and until all biomedical causes have been ruled out.

ICXC NIKA
 
I have worked in mental health for 25+ years. In that time, I have observed psychotic persons, especially if epilepsy is also present (also called a comorbid pathology) demonstrate; superhuman strength, what looks like levitation but really wasn’t, go into trances and write symbols on the wall that later were found to be gibberish, speak other languages (again gibberish) and animal noises. I’d be insincere if I did not confess to calling on St Michael during these experiences. But what experience proved was that these people were very ill. Antiepileptic and antipsychotic controlled these symptoms.

What did not control the symptoms was calling on the on Name of Jesus. Satan and his cohorts have no tolerance for His Name.
 
Actual levitation is a rare phenomena, far as I know.

An article was published in New Oxford Review that is a pay per view, but this Woman of Grace article gives a second hand account…

womenofgrace.com/blog/?p=2290
Julia also exhibited enormous strength. “Despite the religious sisters and three others holding her down with all their might, they struggled to restrain her. Remarkably, for about 30 minutes, she actually levitated about half a foot in the air.”
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If you want to hear my advice, i actually have went through this, it is terrifying, some of it is just in there head, like constantly worrying that demons or people are reading their thoughts, but other things like seeing visions of shadows, demons, etc. In my opinion are demons, but the thing is you either have to be somewhat connected to evil, lets say through the wrong crowd, or by just looking at an evil person and that person from then on would see that person in their head, which would probably be influenced by a demon.

In other words, the fear they feel or the constant anxiety is sorta them but the visions and things they see are demon related and also psychological.

I thought it was shcizophrenia but i took loads up medication and would still see evil visions, some very very strong and scary and some also gave me pain. An example of a vision was way back when, when i was with the wrong crowd, the party crowd as you can imagine…Me and my roomate had people over, some were pagans, and one a satanist. When he left that night, note that i did bad things i regret, we were all going to sleep, i slept with the light on due to extreme terrors. I had many terrifying visions that night, some were when i closed my eyes, i saw a hand creep in from my door that had painted nails, another was a girl said in an evil voice this is going to hurt a lot, i felt a horrible pain all over my body. Others were a crazy man laughing and turning his head around, it terrified me.

You can believe me or not but i saw what i saw. I am guessing it was a punishment from god when i saw these scary things, I could understand why though… i was still in a bad spot in my life, i was converted but still around a lot of evil. Anyway i will pray for him but i also reccommend you ask him if he is in a bad crowd or around “bad” things. Or at least does things that may make him worthy of punishment.
 
Antegin said:
I have worked in mental health for 25+ years. In that time, I have observed psychotic persons, especially if epilepsy is also present (also called a comorbid pathology) demonstrate; superhuman strength, what looks like levitation but really wasn’t, go into trances and write symbols on the wall that later were found to be gibberish, speak other languages (again gibberish) and animal noises. I’d be insincere if I did not confess to calling on St Michael during these experiences. But what experience proved was that these people were very ill.
**Antiepileptic and antipsychotic controlled these symptoms. **
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Those medications controlled those symptoms on the outside. What about the person’s inside? How did those people feel, what did they think?

Many modern medications are designed to make the person less of a burden to others – but on the inside, the person may feel even worse. Except that other people don’t even notice that.
 
I personally think the line is very very blurry. Having experienced a schizophrenic relative myself, I can’t tell you the answer, but I know why you are asking. Medication should be the first port of call always, however, anyone with a seriously schizophrenic friend/relative knows that medication is pretty much a joke unless the person actually can be convinced to take it. Often something very bad has to happen before authorities put them in a position when they have to take it. So really, the most important thing is to pray and trust in God, and know that he allows terrible things, like both Schizophrenia and evil, to exist for reasons we don’t understand yet. And don’t stop loving the person, know that whatever happens, either way, you get to give them the benefit of the doubt.
 
Gliggle said:
I personally think the line is very very blurry. Having experienced a schizophrenic relative myself, I can’t tell you the answer, but I know why you are asking. Medication should be the first port of call always, however, anyone with a seriously schizophrenic friend/relative knows that medication is pretty much a joke unless the person actually can be convinced to take it. Often something very bad has to happen before authorities put them in a position when they have to take it. So really, the most important thing is to pray and trust in God, and know that he allows terrible things, like both Schizophrenia and evil, to exist for reasons we don’t understand yet. And don’t stop loving the person, know that whatever happens, either way, you get to give them the benefit of the doubt.
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Agreed, if he anything he needs someone that will be there for him, even if he may fight it. He needs you, pray for him and love him no matter what he may do.
 
ChristRocket said:
Without getting into detail, but just noting that this is based on a real life situation, with one of my extremely loved one, where do we draw the line?

Has anyone dealt with this situation? What are signs of Demonic influence vs. Schizophrenia.
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Hello ChristRocket - read up on hormone imbalances and schizophrenia. I would also recommend seeing a reputable naturopathic doctor to check for other underlying health issues.

I live in your area and can recommend a couple of doctors - pm me if you’d like the info.

God bless 🙂
 
Schizophrenia is a genuine mental illness, if someone has been diagnosed with it then it’s legitimate.
 
Ilovejesus1234 said:
II am guessing it was a punishment from god when i saw these scary things
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NO.

God does NOT torment people and he is NEVER the direct source of suffering. Personal suffering should NEVER be interpreted as a sign of divine wrath as a penalty for personal sin. God’s so-called “punishments” are only painful as a result of OUR (or demonic) sin, since God never causes evil directly.

God **allows ** suffering to exist for a number of reasons (which is dealt with in the branch of theology called “Theodicy”), but - by his very nature - he is incapable of wishing harm upon anyone, even to “punish”. That’s the whole message of the book of Job. The Gospels themselves tell us “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”.

It is never “a punishment from God” when you experience evil.
 
me_zimm said:
._.

How does that even work?
(If you don’t mind me asking.)
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The person was having a seizure. When we entered the room, his body was hyperextended causing the whole back, buttocks and back of legs to be elevated just above the bed. What you couldn’t see until you got close was the feet against the foot board and the head was set in a book nook in the head board.
 
me_zimm said:
NO.

God does NOT torment people and he is NEVER the direct source of suffering. Personal suffering should NEVER be interpreted as a sign of divine wrath as a penalty for personal sin. God’s so-called “punishments” are only painful as a result of OUR (or demonic) sin, since God never causes evil directly.

God **allows ** suffering to exist for a number of reasons (which is dealt with in the branch of theology called “Theodicy”), but - by his very nature - he is incapable of wishing harm upon anyone, even to “punish”. That’s the whole message of the book of Job. The Gospels themselves tell us “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”.

It is never “a punishment from God” when you experience evil.
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Hey hey lets just have a calm conversation. God causes some people to suffer sometimes for certain reasons, lets say i decided to do a bunch of evil and hurt alot of people and become evil myself, god has the right to use his power (indirectly) to punish me, usually through allowing demons to attack me. Another case if i do something I sorta know better to not do, like lets say I treat others badly because they make me angry or something like that, god can punish me or have mercy on me it isn’t from him directly but it is indirectly, We ourselves i agree do suffer because of our fall, or in other words we are disciplined. But i am sure you get the idea.
 
Lucy107 said:
Those medications controlled those symptoms on the outside. What about the person’s inside? How did those people feel, what did they think?

Many modern medications are designed to make the person less of a burden to others – but on the inside, the person may feel even worse. Except that other people don’t even notice that.
Click to expand...
I can only talk about my pre-HIPPA experiences but several persons on Haldol improved a bit, but they reported such severe side effects that they would rather go back to psychosis then take the drugs. These side effects were not to be dismissed lightly, they caused a lot of suffering. The patients who took Clozaril experienced great improvement. They started and maintained jobs and relationships. They reported being very content. Unfortunately, many also developed a life threatening white blood cell destruction. They would beg to stay on the medication saying they would rather die from an infection then go back to the psychosis. They didn’t have a choice in the matter.

One thing I observed about genuine psychosis versus fantasy is that psychosis causes genuine suffering. Even delusions of grandeur produce a terrible burden for the sufferer and serve no purpose. When a consumer’s “delusions” build their ego, make them happy or conveniently keep them out of jail, they are more likely to be neurotic with difficulty dealing with reality or they may have a personality disorder, which is a whole other discussion. Medications do not help in these cases at all and the side effects do incredible harm.
 
It is possible some of the attacks could be demons. It is not always mental.
 
I’ve struggled with mental health problems for a number of years. Faith in God played a huge role in saving me from myself. Thanks to God, I have turned a corner.
 
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