Editing Spirit possession (section)

==Scientific views==

===Cultural anthropology===
The works of [[Jean Rouch]], [[Germaine Dieterlen]], and [[Marcel Griaule]] have been extensively cited in research studies on possession in [[Western Africa]] that extended to [[Brazil]] and North America due to the [[History of slavery|slave trade]].{{sfnp|Queiroz|2012|pp=184–211}}{{sfnp|De Heusch|2007|pp=365–386}}

The anthropologist I.M. Lewis noted that women are more likely to be involved in spirit possession cults than men are, and postulated that such cults act as a means of compensation for their exclusion from other spheres within their respective cultures.{{sfnp|Lewis|1966|pp=307–329}}

===Physical anthropology===
Anthropologists [[Alice Beck Kehoe|Alice B. Kehoe]] and Dody H. Giletti argued that the reason that women are more commonly seen in [[Afro-Eurasia]]n spirit possession cults is because of deficiencies in [[thiamine]], [[tryptophan]]-[[Niacin (substance)|niacin]], [[calcium]], and [[vitamin D]]. They argued that a combination of poverty and diet cause this problem, and that it is exacerbated by the strains of pregnancy and lactation. They postulated that the involuntary symptoms of these deficiencies affecting their nervous systems have been institutionalized as spirit possession.{{sfnp|Kehoe|Giletti|1981|pp=549–561}}

===Medicine and psychology===
{{see also|Culture-bound syndrome|Bicameral mentality}}
Spirit possession of any kind, including demonic, is just one [[psychiatry|psychiatric]] or medical diagnosis recognized by the [[DSM-5]] or the [[ICD-10]]: "F44.3 Trance and possession disorders".{{sfnp|Henderson|1981|pp=129–134}} In clinical psychiatry, trance and possession disorders are defined as "states involving a temporary loss of the sense of personal identity and full awareness of the surroundings" and generally classed as a type of dissociative disorder.{{sfnp|Bhavsar|Ventriglio|Dinesh|2016|pp=551–559}}

People alleged to be possessed by spirits sometimes exhibit symptoms similar to those associated with [[mental illness]]es such as [[derealization]], [[hallucinogen]] abuse, [[psychosis]], [[catatonia]], [[mania]], [[Tourette's syndrome]], [[epilepsy]], [[schizophrenia]], or [[dissociative identity disorder]],<ref name="How Exorcism Works">{{cite web|url=http://science.howstuffworks.com/exorcism5.htm|title=How Exorcism Works|date=8 September 2005}}</ref>{{sfnp|Goodwin|Hill|Attias|1990|pp=94–101}}{{sfnp|Ferracuti|Sacco|Lazzari|1996|pp=525–539}} including involuntary, uncensored behavior, and an extra-human, extra-social aspect to the individual's actions.{{sfnp|Strickmann|2002|p=65}} It is not uncommon to ascribe the experience of [[sleep paralysis]] to demonic possession, although it's not a physical or mental illness.{{sfnp|Beyerstein|1995|pp=544–552}} Studies have found that alleged demonic possessions can be related to trauma.{{sfnp|Braitmayer|Hecker|Van Duijl|2015}}

In entry article on [[dissociative identity disorder]], the [[DSM-5]] states, "possession-form identities in dissociative identity disorder typically manifest as behaviors that appear as if a 'spirit,' supernatural being, or outside person has taken control such that the individual begins speaking or acting in a distinctly different manner".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders|publisher=American Psychiatric Publishing|year=2013|isbn=978-0-89042-554-1|location=Washington, DC|url=https://archive.org/details/diagnosticstatis0005unse/page/293|pages=[https://archive.org/details/diagnosticstatis0005unse/page/293 293]}}</ref> The symptoms vary across cultures.{{sfnp|Bhavsar|Ventriglio|Dinesh|2016|pp=551–559}} The DSM-5 indicates that personality states of dissociative identity disorder may be interpreted as possession in some cultures, and instances of spirit possession are often related to traumatic experiences—suggesting that possession experiences may be caused by mental distress.{{sfnp|Braitmayer|Hecker|Van Duijl|2015}} In cases of dissociative identity disorder in which the [[Alter ego|alter]] personality is questioned as to its identity, 29 percent are reported to identify themselves as demons.{{sfnp|Erlendsson|2003}} A 19th century term for a mental disorder in which the patient believes that they are possessed by demons or evil spirits is demonomania or cacodemonomanis.{{sfnp|Noll|2009}}

Some have expressed concern that belief in demonic possession can limit access to health care for the mentally ill.{{sfnp|Karanci|2014}}