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Philosophy/religion

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Friend thinks she's posessed (her words)

21 replies

SpookySleepySkeletons · 04/11/2018 09:30

Hi everyone,
I am here to ask for help. I have this very good friend, we've known each other for 14 years now and she's just lovely. I have been quite worried about her lately, she's very stressed and has some mental health issues (she's seeing a therapist for that).
On Friday she called me, on the edge of tears and out of breath. She told me she had been feeling unwell all day long and then suddenly felt like she had to throw up but "not in a sick way, just like there was something inside me that I had to get out" (quoting her). She then had a breakdown in the bathroom and her mum found her crying hysterically. The thing is that my friend couldn't "reach" her mum, she heard her, but she couldn't move or talk to her, until after a while she felt like something had "left" her and she said "I'm back, mum", but she couldn't say where she had come back from and her memory of that episode is not very clear, she doesn't know how long it was. She's very confused and scared and convinced that something evil is going on.
I am usually not of the woo-kind, but she's so certain and I want to help her. Unfortunately, everything I know about that sort of stuff is from horror movies, so if you could give me any advice on this, even if it's just a "placebo ritual" that soothes her, I'd be very grateful.
She's a protestant and they don't really do demons in their liturgy I think, but I am catholic, if that's important.

OP posts:
Madratlady · 04/11/2018 09:32

She needs mental health support not some kind of ‘ritual’. Don’t feed her delusions.

Swanhild · 04/11/2018 09:35

What Mad said. Don’t feed her delusion. She is not possessed by a demon, and your religious affiliations are irrelevant. Get her MH help ASAP.

SpookySleepySkeletons · 04/11/2018 09:38

As I said, she's seeing a therapist about twice a month (she can't get more appointments because that therapist is very popular)

OP posts:
Paperdolly · 04/11/2018 09:39

She sounds like she's having panic attacks. Had she got the number for the crisis team? Who found her the Counsellor?

Madratlady · 04/11/2018 09:41

She needs to see a Dr or go to A&E if necessary. She needs proper psychiatric care. A therapist can’t provide the care she needs, she’s clearly acutely unwell.

Racecardriver · 04/11/2018 09:43

She needs to see a psychiatrist rather than just a therapist. This kind of departure from reality does not bode well. She needs medical help ASAP.

legalseagull · 04/11/2018 09:45

She needs emergency care. Now.

GulliverUnravels · 04/11/2018 10:00

I'm religious, and believe that there is a spiritual realm which interacts in various ways with the physical realm, but what your friend is describing is a psychiatric issue, not a spiritual one. Echoing PPs, she needs to have her mental health reviewed by a psychiatrist, not a therapist.

SpookySleepySkeletons · 04/11/2018 10:03

Any ideas how I can make that clear to her? She's absolutely convinced that seeing her therapist is enough but to be honest, I am not quite sure if her therapist is right for her and I am worried sick about her. She found the therapist online, they had raving reviews and she claims it helps but frankly, I don't see it. I am trying to be there for her whenever I can but I don't know what to do anymore

OP posts:
Politicalacuityisathing · 04/11/2018 10:08

It definitely sounds like a serious deterioration in her mental health and she needs urgent medical help. If you want internet advice, I would repost on mental health board and take out reference to any woo. Just describe the episode and ask for advice as you are unfamiliar with this type of behaviour. But your friend would be best served with a call to 111 at the very least.

ZigZagZebras · 04/11/2018 10:13

Sounds like psychosis, she needs medication and possibly admitting as an inpatient while it starts to work. Definitely don't validate the delusions that will be more harmful.

yesmelord · 04/11/2018 10:17

Not reaching someone and feeling almost trapped inside myself was a symptom when I was suffering from severe panic attacks.

Jason118 · 04/11/2018 11:13

Doctor is what she needs, not a therapist found online

GruciusMalfoy · 04/11/2018 11:23

Anyone will tell you she needs emergency psychiatric help. This is what your own church would say.

mostlydrinkstea · 04/11/2018 12:07

She needs medical help. As something to calm her down she might want to say the Lords Prayer. If someone walked into my church with her symptoms I would get them to call their doctor for an emergency appointment and say the Lords Prayer with her. I would also be cautious of an therapist found online. They may be fab but they should be registered with the appropriate body and refer on if someone's mental health is deteriorating.

isittheholidaysyet · 04/11/2018 13:53

Yes, as a Catholic, I agree with PPs.

I know very little about mental health issues, or who she should she.

But the medical profession is the first port of call in these cases.

Johnsi · 24/11/2018 15:38

She might be correct (I'm not going to say it's not real), or she might not.

But she does need urgent help. She can call 999, or get to A&E, and there are nurses and doctors available 24/7 to do a mental health assessment for her.

Craft1905 · 24/11/2018 22:41

She might be correct (I'm not going to say it's not real), or she might not.

If they do an xray and see a demon inside her, then she might be correct. Until then, based on the fact that that's never been seen before in all the millions of people who have claimed to be possessed, I think we can assume it's a mental health issue

lyndar · 24/11/2018 22:53

@SpookySleepySkeletons in our reality we would say that that's a mental health issue but wouldn't it be interesting if demons can really posses us?
I had a partner with schizophrenia as a teen who claimed to be possessed and some things that happened were really weird and not explained by mental health issues .
Maybe there's schizophrenia there or disassociative personality disorder or maybe she's really possessed .

Craft1905 · 25/11/2018 20:14

Maybe there's schizophrenia there or disassociative personality disorder or maybe she's really possessed

Maybe she is suffering from something that we know for certain exists and we know has affected millions of people over many years, or maybe she has something for which there is not a scrap of evidence actually exists at all.

Ooooo...it's a toughie.....

bathsh3ba · 04/12/2018 22:17

I'm a Christian and I believe possession can happen but it does not sound to me like your friend was possessed. This definitely sounds like a mental health issue and any vicar worth their salt would say so.

That said, if she has a Christian faith, it may help to remind her that all demons have already been conquered by Jesus. The battle is won and she has nothing to fear. If she is afraid, praying may help.

A vicar would be happy to pray with her and advise but I am sure would say this is a mental health issue.

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