Citation

Scripcaru V, Iliescu DB, Furnică C, Scripcaru A, Polixenia Nistor P. Rom. J. Leg. Med. 2017; 25(2): 211-216.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Romanian Legal Medicine Society)

DOI

10.4323/rjlm.2017.211

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

During the history of humanity, regardless the socio-cultural beliefs, the idea of demonic possession has been a perpetual feature marked by the evolution of civilization. There is presented a case of a monk found by the Romanian police driving a car on public roads without holding a driving license, diagnosed with acute psychotic disorder with schizophrenia symptoms. The forensic psychiatric assessment concludes that he lacks the mental capacity to drive vehicles, has suicidal ideation, but it is our personal belief that he will continue to defy this decision, as he considers himself sane. The patient denies the occurrence of any psycho-productive phenomena, and shows no signs of altered mnesic function. The forensic psychiatric assessment concludes that he lacks the mental capacity to drive vehicles, but it is our personal belief that he will continue to defy this decision, as he considers himself sane. The authors reviewed several current scientific approaches to demonic possession including psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioural, cognitive, biological, mixed, psychoanalytical perspectives, concluding that the behaviour of such patients' takes on different forms depending on their primary organic disorder. The psychiatrist's competences supplemented by his/her own belief in religious values influence the formulation and therapy of demonic possession phenomena. © 2017 Romanian Society of Legal Medicine.

Language: en

Keywords

Demonic possession; Schizophrenia; Suicide