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. 2021 Mar 19:12:628925.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.628925. eCollection 2021.

Delusions of Possession and Religious Coping in Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Study of Four Cases

Igor J Pietkiewicz  1 , Urszula Kłosińska  1 , Radosław Tomalski  1
Affiliations

Delusions of Possession and Religious Coping in Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Study of Four Cases

Igor J Pietkiewicz et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

The notion of evil spirits influencing human behavior or mental processes is used in many cultures to justify various symptoms or experiences. It is also expressed in psychotic delusions of possession, but there is limited research in this area. This study explores how patients with schizophrenia came to the conclusion that they were possessed, and how this affected help-seeking. Interviews with two men and two women about their experiences and meaning-making were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three main themes were identified: (1) Links between traumatic experiences and psychotic symptoms, (2) The emergence of religious themes in delusional contents, and (3) Reluctance to use medical treatment and instead to seek exorcism. In each case, attributing problems to possession was supported by the local environment and media, led to seeking spiritual help, and delayed diagnostic assessment and treatment. However, using religious coping contributed to the sense of predictability and social support. Clinicians are encouraged to explore the experiences and conflicts expressed by the symptoms which people ascribe to possession and to negotiate alternative explanatory models with their patients.

Keywords: cenesthetic hallucinations; exorcisim; hearing voices; possession; religious coping; religious delusions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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