The Stages of Demonic Possession
Around the world, there are many different legends, and myths on the idea that demons and other evil spirits can possess a person. What people don't realize, that like with anything else, there are rules to how and when a possession can truly occur. The fact is there are very few true cases of demonic possession. Often times, the idea of possession is mislabeled and because of that, an exorcism of a not truly possessed person, often has disastrous consequences. Resulting in the mental incapacitation or death of the victim. It is strongly recommended that anyone experiencing these things, be seen by a health practitioner before seeking aid on a spiritual level.
Many demonologists unanimously agree that there are several stages of possession that take place over extended periods of time, starting out as small things, and getting more severe as time goes on. A slow but sure take over of the human mind. To truly understand that of demonic nature. You must first believe in the idea that deep inside the physic side of each person, there is darkness.
To truly understand possession, you must understand what it is -
Demonic Possession: Demonic possession is held by many belief systems to be the spirit possession of an individual by a malevolent preternatural being, commonly known as a demon or devil. Obsessions and possessions of the devil are placed in the rank of apparitions of the evil spirit among men.
Below are actual confirmed possession cases:
Aix-en-Provence possessions
Loudun possessions
Dorothy Talbye trial
Louviers possessions
The Possession of Elizabeth Knapp[29]
George Lukins
Antoine Gay
Johann Blumhardt
Clara Germana Cele
Exorcism of Roland Doe ("Robbie Mannheim")
Michael Taylor (Ossett)
Anneliese Michel
What are the stages to possession? - In the words of Ryan Buell, star and director of A&E's hit series, Paranormal State, and Director of the Penn State University Paranormal Research Society, as well as author of Paranormal State: My Journey Into The Unknown, here are some of the most common signs. -
Regression - This is when the victim starts to backtrack on their personal or spiritual progress. Typically loosening their grip on their faith and no longer finding fulfillment of the things they previously enjoyed.
Repression - Happens when the person can no longer express their feelings, may they be joy or sadness, this often results in them undergoing the dislodging of their former emotional state. The victim will often be unable to feel happiness and sometimes become full of a hollow paranoid state.
Suppression - Begins when the victim begins to purposely hide things about themselves, lying to friends and loved ones, this is confusing to the person because they have little to no sense of what is actually happening to them.
Depression - Is when the victim starts to feel extreme bouts of sadness, even despair. Other signs would be insomnia and the inability to concentrate, making it difficult to ward off the feeling. Lack of proper sleep and constant depression create a big enough whole for the demonic to being it's final stages of attack, or possession.
Obsession - This is the most commonly seen in cases of confirmed possession. Where the victim suddenly takes interest in things of a dark nature, this often makes the person become so preoccupied with something that it starts to destroy other parts of their lives, such as healthy relationships with family and friends.
Possession - This is the final stage where the demonic entity takes its partial or complete control of the victim. Often with dangerous consequences.
There are also many good fictional accounts of possession...
The 1973 film, The Exorcist, is based on the book of the same name and portrays a fictional case of demonic possession loosely inspired by the case of "Robbie Mannheim".
Demonic possession is an important element in the Evil Dead film series, the first of which was released in 1981. In the films, possessed people take on a zombie-like appearance.
In 1995, the U.S. daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives, featured the character Dr. Marlena Evans, played by Deidre Hall, in a demonic possession storyline.
Demonic possession is a common theme in the American TV series Supernatural, which was first broadcast in 2005. In one episode, protagonist Sam Winchester is possessed by the demon known as Meg Masters in an attempt to get revenge for Sam exorcising her. She is eventually forced from his body but is shown to retain an understanding of Sam from the possession. The show also features angels possessing humans similar to demons, but unlike demons, angels need the people they are possessing's permission. As shown in season 9's Road Trip, the possessed person can kick the angel out if they no longer wish to be possessed. Occasionally powerful ghosts are able to possess people similar to demons as well.
In the 2006 film 5ive Girls, several characters are possessed by the demonic spirit named Legion.
In the 2007 Spanish horror film series REC, people (and animals) become infected with a contagious demonic virus. The outbreak started with the possession of a Portuguese young girl, Tristana Medeiros.
Several characters are possessed by a demonic spirit named Toby in the Paranormal Activity series. Katie is possessed and kills her boyfriend Micah in Paranormal Activity. Kristi (Katie's sister) is briefly possessed and is successfully exorcised by her husband Daniel, but both are killed by a possessed Katie who then kidnaps their son Hunter inParanormal Activity 2. Toby takes over Katie (as a child) at the end of Paranormal Activity 3. Katie reappears and the demon still is in her in Paranormal Activity 4.
