Through out my years of discussing Susan's condition, and the matter of Schizophrenia, I have repeatedly been asked the same question... Could Schizophrenia be linked to spiritual possession?
My automatic answer would be no, that Schizophrenia is a mental illness and nothing more. But when I really think about it, and look back at my own personal experiences with Susan, I can't help but wonder if there is any truth to the possibility of possession by an evil spirit.
I am a religious person, but I am not fanatical. While I have a basic belief in Christianity, the majority of my beliefs are based on my own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I am very interested in people's beliefs of things (or lack thereof) and befriend those with many different religious backgrounds. Religion has always fascinated me, especially because it seems that no one person has the exact same beliefs as any other person on the planet.
I personally, do believe that Possession is possible. I suppose that I believe this based on some of my personal experiences growing up. During my teen years, while moving between different houses and apartments, there always seemed to be a creepy and evil feeling that followed us around. I was not the only one who noticed it. My brother and sister noticed as much as I did and we talked about it on a regular basis. We all had our strange encounters and experiences with the evil feeling, but there are far too many to discuss. We would talk about the "haunting" like it was just another thing that happened that day. We were very frank and matter of fact about it.
There was one house in particular that we believed to be "haunted". Haunted by what, I do not know. I am not saying that there were ghosts in my house, but I am not saying that there weren't. Without going into detail (I could write a full Blog just about the things that happened in that house) I can at least say that a very evil feeling permeated every square inch of that house.
Strange and unnatural noises came from other rooms, the ceilings, walls, etc. We all heard them, and they were bone-chilling. While me and my siblings believed that they were supernatural, Susan did not. It was Susan's belief that the strange noises, especially the ones that came from the ceilings, were due to the "Mexicans who danced on our roof and laughed at her". Whenever there was a lot of noise going on through out the house she would run out in to the front and back yards and examined the roof. She would yell up at the "Dancing Mexicans" or whoever she believed was up there at the time, and ask them why they were bothering us and yell at them to go away and leave her alone. On some occasions she would see the Mexicans on our roof, other times she only heard them.
I only bring up the house because of the "evil" feeling, since possession and evil go hand in hand. It also illustrates some of the reasons I believe that Possession is possible. If evil can come into a house, then why not a person?
After growing tired of the awful feeling in our house, my brother took it upon himself to have a man from our church come and give our house a blessing. I was present, yet skeptical, and to my surprise the energy and feeling in the house vastly improved immediately after the blessing. Susan later revealed something strange to my sister, that during the blessing she felt something inside her stir, as if it were disturbed by what had just taken place. She physically felt something move inside of her. When asked about what she had said later, she refused to have ever made such a comment.
I often wondered through out the years if my mom was possessed. I mentioned in an earlier Blog that during her Psychotic Episodes, her eyes would dramatically change. When Susan was experiencing Psychosis, her eyes looked like they did not belong to her, they were, in a word, Demonic. We have all heard the saying that "The eyes are the window to the soul". If this saying holds any truth, then I can't help but wonder what was in Mom's soul, for her eyes were nothing short of frightening.
I heard a story from an older brother of mine. When he was a teenager, he had a strange confrontation with Susan. Susan is a large woman and possesses little strength. Moving something heavier than 10 lbs was difficult for her. My brother, even as a teenager, is a very tall man. He weighed a nice healthy weight for his height so he had a pretty solid build.
During this confrontation, it is said that Susan picked my brother up off the floor by his throat and pinned him up against the wall, feet off of the floor. Unable to pry her fingers from around his throat, and unable to run away since he had no contact with the ground, he was at Mom's mercy and looked down into her eyes. To his dismay, he found a blank face, mouth hanging open, and eyes that flickered back and forth in her sockets at an unnatural speed. To this day he remains convinced that Susan is possessed by an evil spirit, based on this and other experiences.
The description is strange and since I was not there, I cannot describe any of the story in great accuracy or detail. However, knowing Susan, it is not surprising or unbelievable. During the times that she was experiencing Psychosis, I often felt a very frightening and unsettling feeling as I watched her shout and throw things around.
It is a controversial subject, especially for those who do not have religious beliefs or do not believe in the possibility of spiritual possession. In the online support forums that I follow, religion is NOT a good subject to ever bring up, especially among the Schizophrenics. Religion is met with much resistance and anger and any chance of open mindedness on the topic simply does not exist. However, as I said, based on my experiences, I would not rule Possession out as a possibility.
So which is it? Mental Illness or Spiritual Possession? I personally believe, that they both can exist separately, and can also exist simultaneously in a person. I believe that Susan was both a victim of Mental Illness as well as Possession, based on my experiences of her.
I have been taught, as I'm sure others who have been raised with a religious background, that Satan preys on a person during times of darkness or vulnerability. If a Mentally Ill person is not vulnerable, then I don't know what is! Could it be possible that because of Susan's Illness she was susceptible to being Possessed? I suppose that I will never know.
I know that the question will be asked again and again as I continue to share my story through out my life, and my answer will always be, "I have considered that, but its hard to say". Mental Illness is a very real thing, and Possession? To many, not so much. I guess it just depends on your take of it. While Mental Illness seems a more believable cause, since it is backed up by medical and scientific facts, I would choose not to rule out other possibilities.
I am new to this , so bare with me. I would like to comment on my version of possession and schizophrenia. I have been taught throughout my life that we share the same space or world as those of us that have passed on or who will yet to come. Because we posses a mortal body we cannot see these spirits due to a vale placed between mortal and immortal beings. Many times we can feel the presents of these spirits good and bad.
ReplyDeleteThe third of the hosts in heaven chose to follow Satin and his plan and those spirits were not allowed to come to this earth to gain a body. They sure try do evil to drag down those of us who are trying to do good. Now I know that this a just a tiny nut shell of my religious teachings as does not even represent the whole of it. I would now like to expound on my own personal thoughts.
I believe that those with severe mental illness see a whole deferent world than what we can see. That that they can see beyond that vale somehow. They see the good and the bad spirits. With my experience the good don't do much harm. They talk to the mentally ill but do not touch or try to posses. They do try to encourage or keep them from believing the bad ones. The good spirits are bound by a heavenly law that does not allow them to touch or posses a moral body.
The evil ones try like the dickens to posses a mortal body because they have been denied that opportunity by the choice they made in the preexistence. If they fail at the possession then they try to torture the mentally ill to no end. Making them do the craziest things ever. In my son's case, murder. What better way can Satin destroy ones life than by making them so miserable and also adversely effect those all around them.
This may sound far fetched for some but it's my own crazy belief.
I think that that is a very interesting perspective Cozi. I've never really thought of it that way.
ReplyDeleteWhile looking through the online forums that I frequent I have come across many people who believe that their Schizophrenia is some kind of power that allows them to see into other worlds and realms. Many see it as a God given gift while others see it as a curse.
I could see how it would be considered a gift if they are experiencing the good spirits, and a curse when they experience the bad.
I have often wondered on my own if maybe people who suffer with Schizophrenia possess something that others don't. Perhaps extremely high insight and intuition? Perhaps the ability to see through the veil? Who knows.
On the topic of religion it is touchy. While some Schizophrenics cling to the teaching of Christ others are repulsed by it. I have seldom found a person who sits in the middle of the fence. Maybe this could have something to do with your theory.