A Fragmented Mind: Altered States of Consciousness and Spirit Possession Between Rituals and Therapy.
Integrative psychological & behavioral science July 30, 2025 Donato Giuseppe Leo 3 citations
Cultural influences, social expectations, and personal beliefs shape how people perceive altered states of consciousness, often interpreting them as communication with the spiritual world. Spirit possession illustrates how sociocultural factors mold these perceptions. The paper explains spirit possession as a way to "exorcise" individual trauma or address communal fears. It traces the historical view of supernatural causes of illness through rituals to cast out or tame possessing spirits. The authors argue that sociocultural factors have embedded altered states of consciousness in religious and spiritual practices, and that these states can have therapeutic value for mental wellbeing.