Is It Schizophrenia or Spirit Possession?
Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless 1995 DOI: 10.1007/bf02088021 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 9 |
| Key points | Argues that the question of whether spirit possession should be classified and treated as a mental disorder, or whether culturally grounded phenomena and interventions like spiritual healing should be taken seriously as ways of defining and treating mental illness, is illuminated by examining how the self is conceived within different cultural contexts. |
Abstract
This paper addresses the question of whether spirit possession, a concept with a religious/spiritual base, is, in fact, more accurately defined as a major symptom of a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, and according to the Eurocentric tradition, should be treated with psychotropic medication and psychotherapy. On the other hand, should this culturally determined phenomenon and such altemative curative interventions as spiritual healing be more seriously examined as viable ways of defining and treating mental illness? The way in which the self is defined and understood, within different cultural contexts, is employed to explore the differing ways in which psychotic symptoms are understood and ultimately treated.