5 Reasons Conflating Mental Illness with Demon Possession Hurts People

“Conflating demon possession with ‘madness’ hurts people. That may sound harsh, but this is a real problem. I have been hurt by this in the past, and in the present, and others have too. When people talk about an (apparently) mentally ill person and say ‘He was definitely demon possessed’ that hurts me as a person with a mental illness.”

The Many Valuable Lessons I Learned in ATI: Laura’s Story

“The 14 years I spent as a student in ATI taught me many valuable lessons for my life. Here are some of the highlights.”

Nightmare in Navy and White — Experiencing the Dark Side of ATI: Selena’s Story, Part Two

“I don’t feel very comfortable going into too much detail, as this time period is one of the more difficult for me to cope with. I will simply say that I was put into the LIT program, held captive for two years against my will, and systematically tortured and brainwashed.”

Finding Freedom from My Demons: Nicholas Ducote’s Story, Part Two

“My parents were convinced that Gothardism held the solution to my issues. If religious options and doctrines were a grocery store, my parents plopped down on the Gothard Aisle and expected me to also enjoy their strict diet of Gothardism. Instead, the doctrines on spiritual warfare, the Umbrella of Authority, and Strongholds increased my anxieties – sending me into a state of hyper-vigilance at night as I waited for the demons.”

Nightmare in Navy and White — Experiencing the Dark Side of ATI: Selena’s Story, Part One

“I remember someone telling my parents about a ‘seminar’ that seemed to give them hope. I remember the desperation in my mother’s eyes. I remember when my parents came home with arms full of books and papers – and then, what seems like a short time later, they announced that we were going to start homeschooling.”

They’ve Got The Fear

“I was 20 when someone tried to exorcise me. Specifically, she intended to set me free from depression, and somehow she thought laying her hands on my head in public, without prior warning, and praying the ‘depressed spirit’ out of me would improve my outlook on life.”

Call For Help: Sarah’s Story

“My fear of hell and demonic possession drove me to pray for hours, forego food and sleep and pace for hours in the middle of the night. My family treated my OCD like silliness or sin that could be rationalized or prayed away. Worse, while they disregarded my obvious need for mental health assistance, they treated me as though I was already possessed by demons.”