My Christian Perspective on Schizophrenia

[Child of God]

disclaimer: I am not a health care practitioner and do not advocate a turning away from medication nor treatment.

Psychiatry does not know the cause of schizophrenia. Modern research merely "implies" that it is a brain disorder. This is nothing but a poor educated guess. For thousands of years it has been known to be evil spirits to drive a person mad. The word madness was changed to insanity and now to a psychosis. The early treating physicians would drill holes in people's heads to release the evil spirits. The problem with this is that evil spirits do not reside in a person's head. And needless to say, this form of treatment killed a number of patients. Frontal lobotomies would leave patients with brain damage and yet no cure. Physicians would subdue patients with excessive electric shock and heavy drugs. Modern day treatments are much more humane. Research shows a chemical imbalance in most schizophrenics today. This would parallel cases with a history of drug abuse. The brain disorder that psychiatry has discovered would be brain damage caused by some drugs. Drugs like crystal methamphetamine and crack cocaine are sins that bring evil spirits into a person's life. The paranoid drug user believing that the cops are following them is being deceived by evil spirits who are masquerading as cops. Many cultures today still teach the truth that schizophrenia is caused by evil spirits. Psychiatry has failed to discover the cause of schizophrenia and they have also fallen short of a cure. Some psychiatrists today will tell their patients that their symptoms may be due to evil spirits. They have discovered that schizophrenia shows signs of being hereditary. This is due to one family member being attached to these unhealthy spirits, and either before or after they die, the spirits go onto the close familiar child and/or adult. All the symptoms of schizophrenia can be explained spiritually. Aliens are a product of fallen angels and some patients will bear witness to them. The schizophrenic can also witness friends and family who are out of their bodies while dreaming. Good spirits are not the cause of schizophrenia. God, Jesus, angels, saints and deceased family members in heaven often reach out to help some of these afflicted people by steering them away from demons and the unhealthy human dead. This is the reason why some schizophrenics claim to have seen and/or heard God, Jesus, angels, saints and deceased love ones. It is unrighteous how modern day psychiatry unwittingly discredits the testimonies of God's lowly witnesses.

Psychology is part of the course curriculum required to become a priest today. There are few people that would know some of the works of evil spirits upon mankind today. The priests trained in exorcisms and permitted to perform them would have a better understanding. 100 years or so ago, before psychiatry, the Catholic Church taught that schizophrenia was caused by evil spirits. I believe that this is no longer taught do to psychiatry, lawsuits, and the Church's reputation.

Evil spirits do indeed cause mental illnesses like schizophrenia. I believe that a healthy lifestyle with psychiatric treatment if needed and spiritual growth can benefit a person with this disorder.

 

[7Critter]

disclaimer: I am not a health care practitioner and do not advocate a turning away from medication nor treatment.

Psychiatry does not know the cause of schizophrenia. Modern research merely "implies" that it is a brain disorder. This is nothing but a poor educated guess. For thousands of years it has been known to be evil spirits to drive a person mad. The word madness was changed to insanity and now to a psychosis. The early treating physicians would drill holes in people's heads to release the evil spirits. The problem with this is that evil spirits do not reside in a person's head. And needless to say, this form of treatment killed a number of patients. Frontal lobotomies would leave patients with brain damage and yet no cure. Physicians would subdue patients with excessive electric shock and heavy drugs. Modern day treatments are much more humane. Research shows a chemical imbalance in most schizophrenics today. This would parallel cases with a history of drug abuse. The brain disorder that psychiatry has discovered would be brain damage caused by some drugs. Drugs like crystal methamphetamine and crack cocaine are sins that bring evil spirits into a person's life. The paranoid drug user believing that the cops are following them is being deceived by evil spirits who are masquerading as cops. Many cultures today still teach the truth that schizophrenia is caused by evil spirits. Psychiatry has failed to discover the cause of schizophrenia and they have also fallen short of a cure. Some psychiatrists today will tell their patients that their symptoms may be due to evil spirits. They have discovered that schizophrenia shows signs of being hereditary. This is due to one family member being attached to these unhealthy spirits, and either before or after they die, the spirits go onto the close familiar child and/or adult. All the symptoms of schizophrenia can be explained spiritually. Aliens are a product of fallen angels and some patients will bear witness to them. The schizophrenic can also witness friends and family who are out of their bodies while dreaming. Good spirits are not the cause of schizophrenia. God, Jesus, angels, saints and deceased family members in heaven often reach out to help some of these afflicted people by steering them away from demons and the unhealthy human dead. This is the reason why some schizophrenics claim to have seen and/or heard God, Jesus, angels, saints and deceased love ones. It is unrighteous how modern day psychiatry unwittingly discredits the testimonies of God's lowly witnesses.

Psychology is part of the course curriculum required to become a priest today. There are few people that would know some of the works of evil spirits upon mankind today. The priests trained in exorcisms and permitted to perform them would have a better understanding. 100 years or so ago, before psychiatry, the Catholic Church taught that schizophrenia was caused by evil spirits. I believe that this is no longer taught do to psychiatry, lawsuits, and the Church's reputation.

Evil spirits do indeed cause mental illnesses like schizophrenia. I believe that a healthy lifestyle with psychiatric treatment if needed and spiritual growth can benefit a person with this disorder.

I don't know whether evil spirits or a chemical imbalance or something else causes schizophrenia. If I had such a condition, I would be seeking spiritual guidance. Prescription treatment would not be my first choice, but I would seek a medical opinion. Of course all of this presumes that I could think logically and rationally under my condition.

 

[Paintman]

As a former therapist & Psy. D candidate........... wow, this is a lot to cover.
1. If a treatment is clinically useful, yet the mechanism by which the illness remains unknown; that is a problem of explanation.
2. The various schizophrenia meds can be a Godsend. I know 2 someones who can now have a job, house, wife... fully functioning. Some can live w/ their relatives, some a group home... but they are not warehoused by the state and drugged up into 'The Thorazine Shuffle.'
3. The history of psychiatry is young, brutal, misguided, attracts some real weirdo's to the field, today ridiculously politicized (current & past DSM's) - and..... that is all we have. (I'm sympathetic to Thomas Zsaz - a psychiatrist that loathes psychiatry.)
4. There are a boatload of disorders that can be treated w/o meds. But not everyone can or wants to take the therapy route. Often for good reasons. Valium isn't called 'Mother's Little Helper' because it's a catchy tune. Mother has no time for therapy.Mother needs something that works today.

All that said COG, I'm sympathetic to your post. More so than you may think right now. Gotta go to work. Later 'gator.

 

[Seahunter]

As a former therapist & Psy. D candidate.

Cool. And I thought I was harboring secrets!

 

[Seahunter]

Some psychiatrists today will tell their patients that their symptoms may be due to evil spirits.

Do you have a reference for this by any chance?

 

[Debi]

Thank you for adding that disclaimer on top of your post, Cog. As a retired medical professional, I appreciate that.

I'd like to add my two cents worth in here and offer another alternative theory. We know now that our minds are all "wired" a bit differently. There is a theory that some have a certain chemistry or wiring that is different from others. This difference may open us up to more "channels" on the spiritual wavelengths, so to speak, and allow some to hear or see things that others cannot.

This may also in some cases allow entities to make contact, which is a possible contributor to what we define as mental illnesses. I say possible because we cannot be certain of anything in the realm of the paranormal and/or the brain itself. We have theories and assumptions, but no proof. I once wrote an article about this (which I think is somewhere on my old computer as the website it was on no longer exists), and in it I ask that we at least allow for all possibilities.

In full disIosure, Cog, I am not of your particular faith, but I do believe in God, demons, angels, etc., and I do believe it is possible for demon/entity contact to occur. As a medical professional, I also include in the fact that the medications available may actually change that wiring/chemistry enough to close the doorway on some of these contacts.

 

[Child of God]

Do you have a reference for this by any chance?

I learned it by reading PsychForums. It was a while back. I searched, but couldn't find anything in particular. Although, I did notice that many of the schizophrenic members believe their symptoms to be caused by spirits. Today, the medical field suppresses the truth the best they can.

Here's a blog that you may find interesting. Although, schizophrenia does sometimes involve demonic possession. Demonic possession is rare and the majority of the tormenting spirits would be humans in hell.

What if schizophrenics really are possessed by demons, after all? | Practical Ethics

 

[Child of God]

As a former therapist & Psy. D candidate........... wow, this is a lot to cover.
1. If a treatment is clinically useful, yet the mechanism by which the illness remains unknown; that is a problem of explanation.
2. The various schizophrenia meds can be a Godsend. I know 2 someones who can now have a job, house, wife... fully functioning. Some can live w/ their relatives, some a group home... but they are not warehoused by the state and drugged up into 'The Thorazine Shuffle.'
3. The history of psychiatry is young, brutal, misguided, attracts some real weirdo's to the field, today ridiculously politicized (current & past DSM's) - and..... that is all we have. (I'm sympathetic to Thomas Zsaz - a psychiatrist that loathes psychiatry.)
4. There are a boatload of disorders that can be treated w/o meds. But not everyone can or wants to take the therapy route. Often for good reasons. Valium isn't called 'Mother's Little Helper' because it's a catchy tune. Mother has no time for therapy.Mother needs something that works today.

All that said COG, I'm sympathetic to your post. More so than you may think right now. Gotta go to work. Later 'gator.

I do pharmaceutical research in the field of schizophrenia. And some of the newer drugs show signs of remission of symptoms. To my knowledge, the most hopeful of them all is...Invega.

 

[Seahunter]

I learned it by reading PsychForums. It was a while back. I searched, but couldn't find anything in particular. Although, I did notice that many of the schizophrenic members believe their symptoms to be caused by spirits. Today, the medical field suppresses the truth the best they can.

Here's a blog that you may find interesting. Although, schizophrenia does sometimes involve demonic possession. Demonic possession is rare and the majority of the tormenting spirits would be humans in hell.

What if schizophrenics really are possessed by demons, after all? | Practical Ethics

Thanks for the reply and the blog link, COG. I am wondering if the psychiatrists openly discuss the idea that evil spirits may be the cause of their patients' symptoms, or if they do not because it would be like a pilot reporting a UFO for example.

 

[Charleh]

please dont take this personally, but I gotta point out a few things that caught my eye. keep in mind my mother was recently diagnosed with Schizophrenia, and I've had friends who were either Schizophrenic or suffering from delusions. so yeah i know lots about the mental disorder and have met people afflicted with it.

Modern research merely "implies" that it is a brain disorder. This is nothing but a poor educated guess.

no, it is a mental disorder. a Schizophrenic brain has characteristics different from a healthy brain, and that can be seen from CT scans. PTSD and depression are also examples of mental disorders that can be distinguished from a CT scan. you are correct that there is no certain cause.

fun fact, did you know that psychiatry used to teach that only african americans can be diagnosed with Schizophrenia? yup. it was more or less defined as a negro who cant answer to the white man. so yeah psychiatry has come a long way.

Physicians would subdue patients with excessive electric shock and heavy drugs. Modern day treatments are much more humane.

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is still used today. in all cases, including cases in the past, the patient was sedated beforehand. the intention was to use a high enough voltage to trigger a small seizure. in fact it is effective in treating severe neurological problems. side effects are temporary.

Research shows a chemical imbalance in most schizophrenics today.

sorry, but psychiatry has already discredited the whole chemical imbalance thing. but hormonal imbalances in the body can most certainly affect the brain. its a body thing, not a brain thing and can sometimes be treated with non psychoactive drugs. for example, and my sister in laws doctor told her this, reactine happens to be good at countering anxiety! worked for me but dont quote me on that, im not accountable for your drug dabbling

They have discovered that schizophrenia shows signs of being hereditary. This is due to one family member being attached to these unhealthy spirits, and either before or after they die, the spirits go onto the close familiar child and/or adult.

my friend, you and I are both followers of christ. I've known him as my saviour since I was 10. my mother is as well, and you know, she keeps in touch with God, likely more than I do, but like I said before, she's still afflicted with this disease.
Matthew 5:45 (KJV) says "... for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Psychology is part of the course curriculum required to become a priest today.

this is because their policy on exorcisms is to rule out earthly explanations, for example mental disorders or issues in the home, for example slanted counters making things roll off, or EMF from wires affecting our brains (the latter happens more often than you think). that and because part of pastoral care involves counseling on a multitude of life problems. if i was a pastor, id like to brush up on my psychology too.

Evil spirits do indeed cause mental illnesses like schizophrenia. I believe that a healthy lifestyle with psychiatric treatment if needed and spiritual growth can benefit a person with this disorder.

they can, and they do, but medical and psychological afflictions arent always demonic. im very in tune with energy around me, and i know if someone is oppressed or possessed by demons, or if their energy is off. needless to say i havent felt demonic presences every time i was around a mentally ill person.

I can agree that a healthy lifestyle, psychiatric treatment and spiritual growth are always a good route. psychiatric treatment not so much but that because i personally cant stand most psychiatrists.

didnt mean to harp on you, but I believe we all got something to bring to the table and we all got something to learn, and I'm no exception also I did take this post to heart because I've had countless religious leaders say so many things in my life were demonic oppressions, which I wont get into here. anyways hopefully this post is helpful