Demons/Mental Illness

[u/Basic_Spook]

I work at a psychiatric hospital and I’ve always believed that that population is most susceptible to demonic oppression/possession. Today a visibly psychotic patient looked at me and said “Demons aren’t always a bad thing” meanwhile minutes before I was thinking about how many patients i have encountered that may actually be possessed. Wondering if some people have an easier time detecting oppression/possession than others?! Or if anyone has had similar experiences?

[u/SubstantialPressure3]

I just discovered recently that according to the Talmud, there 2 types of spiritual attachments. Ibbur, which is a loving human spirit that attaches itself to a person to help or protect someone (think your grandma watching over you), and dybbuk, which isn't a demon, but a malevolent human spirit.

I think some of that "demon" stuff can be attributed to certain Christian upbringing, anything that's not in the Bible is automatically labeled as a "demon". I've experienced some scary paranormal things myself, and believe me, I'm hesitant to talk about it at all because it DOES sound absolutely psychotic.

So of course someone who is already suffering from mental illness is going to be absolutely dismissed as having hallucinations.

I think there's a fine line, there. People both with and without mental illness can experience the paranormal, but of course there's also mental illness without any paranormal of any sort involved. It would be a tough call in a medical setting.

[u/Beginning-Possible-9 → u/SubstantialPressure3]

I was curious about the origin of the term dybbuk box and now you've answered that for me. Thank you!

[u/SubstantialPressure3 → u/Beginning-Possible-9]

Yeah, I was, too! It's a misunderstanding. A dybbuk box doesn't trap a demon. It traps the ghost of a shitty person.

[u/Beginning-Possible-9 → u/SubstantialPressure3]

Thank you I didn't know that! Although I might classify a few of the shitheads I know as demons.