Exorcism-resistant ghost possession treated with clopenthixol.
BACKGROUND
An Indian man now in Britain explained his criminal behaviour as episodic ghost possession. Traditional exorcisms failed to help.


METHODS
A 'Western' diagnosis of dissociative state or paranoid schizophrenia was made. Treatment commenced using trifluoperazine and clopenthixol.


RESULTS
The patient underwent remission during neuroleptic treatment, despite previous evidence of genuine possession.


CONCLUSIONS
Many cultures give rise to apparently genuine cases of ghost possession. Neuroleptics may relieve symptoms of exorcism-resistant possession.
Hale
A S
AS
UMDS Guy's and St Thomas's, London.
Pinninti
N R
NR
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D003006:Clopenthixol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology; D003702:Delusions / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D018596:Hinduism; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008273:Magic; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008602:Mental Healing; D010327:Pastoral Care; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom
D003006:Clopenthixol