“Many faces of troubled mind”

Written by Dr. Arun Bhat P., Consultant Psychiatrist
Read time - 10 minutes

               When the doctor questioned the parents of a 13-year-old girl studying in the 8th standard who appeared to have tangled and messy hair, a trembling body, was uttering strange noises, and was possessed by the demi-god (Daiva), they answered, "Doctor, from the past 2 months she has been possessed by the daiva. It would start at 7 a.m. If prayer rituals are performed it would persist till late night until she is tired & exhausted. Then she goes to sleep. Even after taking magico-religious remedies, it would only give temporary relief from the condition. Hence, we were scared and felt helpless. At last, an astrologer asked us to come here to you for help." The girl’s father works abroad; the girl and her younger brother are being taken care of by their mother. After the girl’s parents were asked to sit outside, her possessions were mitigated, and she was pacified. Later, after gaining her trust, I conversed with her:

Doctor – what happened? What troubles are you going through? Tell me without any fear. I am here to help.

Girl – There is no problem at all; I just don’t want to go to school.

Doctor why? Don't you like to read and learn?

Girl – I love going to school. I want to read a lot and become a great person.

Doctor – Very good. Then what is the problem?

Girl – There is a boy in my class. He is very mischievous. He disturbs everyone. I am the leader of my class. Once, I complained about him to the teacher. He became vengeful at me, and in revenge, he and his friends would bully me on my way home. So, when he and his friends disturb me, I get scared, and that's why I don’t want to go to school.

Doctor – Why didn't you say all these things to your mother?

Girl – My mother is very strict. If I told her about all of this, she would scold me and make me go to school. I am scared to tell her anything.

Doctor – If she forces you to go to school, what happens?

Girl – When she forces me to go, I get ready to go to school, but those unpleasant thoughts of bullying and ragging come to my mind, which makes me so panicky that I pray to my favourite Daiva, "Koragajja" for help. But, after that, I don’t remember what happens. After I regain my consciousness, I see garlands around my neck. Everyone is looking at me with fear and reverence. I would be very tired.

"Trance and Possession Disorders" is a mental illness that is part of the anxiety disorder spectrum known as "Dissociative Disorders." It's a known fact that when an animal is cornered and doesn’t find any way out, it can exhibit abnormal behavior. The same is true for humans. In this condition, the individual loses awareness of themselves and the world around them. The person behaves as though he or she has been possessed by demi-gods, ghosts, or demons; the attention and consciousness narrow down to fewer aspects of the immediate environment; there are repeated mannerisms, bodily postures, and utterances. The diagnosis of "Trance & Possession disorders" is made when the behaviour appears involuntary, unwanted, and occurs outside of religious or other culturally accepted situations and interferes with day-to-day activities.

The human mind is extremely complex and sophisticated. The way it functions is marvelous. If we analyze the structure of the mind, only 1 in 9 is conscious, and the rest is unconscious. Many activities take place in our unconscious mind without our conscious awareness. Our day-to-day activities are governed by only 1/9th of our mind, which is conscious. Sometimes, when we are confronted with difficulties and challenges, to get solutions for those difficulties or to help us face those challenges, our subconscious mind helps us through certain "Defense mechanisms." ‘Dissociation is also one such defense mechanism where the person dissociates (disconnects) himself from the anxiety-provoking "conflict." But if this defense mechanism, "dissociation," happens repeatedly, causing social, academic, and occupational dysfunction, then it is considered a disorder.

Our culture has long held beliefs in demi-gods (Daiva), ghosts, and demons. From ancient times, we can see its influence, particularly in coastal Karnataka (Tulunadu). Also, we get influenced by movies that showcase exorcisms of ghosts and demons. Therefore, this mental disorder is caused by social, religious, and situational factors, rather than organic brain conditions. Hence, social factors leading to the development of this disorder have to be found and resolved with the help of both religious and psychological treatment simultaneously.

The primary reason for the development of this disorder, as mentioned above, is due to the inescapable fear inducing ‘conflicts’ which happens in the mind. Various social issues like traumatic childhoods, sexual abuse, rape, and family conflicts cause conflicts in the mind and may lead to this disorder. This disorder is common in India and more prevalent in women belonging to the age group of 25–35. This disorder is more common in rural areas, among married people, and among illiterates. The type of possession depends on the locality and the deity worshipped in that place as well. Other than the above-mentioned possession attacks, one can also see possessions by ghosts, evil spirits, and other demonic forces. These kinds of dissociations can also be seen in Schizophrenia, Mania, Drug use, and Seizures. Hence, proper evaluation and diagnosis are of utmost importance.

Though the treatment for this disorder is complex and difficult, a person can recover completely if it is properly administered. Mainly psychotherapy, and at times there is the need for medications. By recognizing the mental and emotional trauma the person has gone through, observing the circumstances or situations during which "Dissociation" occurs, and identifying the underlying conflicts, we can strengthen the person's mental faculties, discourage unhealthy defense mechanisms, and increase self-control and resilience, ultimately resolving possessions attacks successfully.

(This article is purely academic and not written to hurt any religious sentiments.)