Psychosis induced by invocation presenting as possession state: A case of Kitousei-Seishinbyo still emerging in modern Japan.
PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences December 1, 2025 Fumiya Miyano, Nobuyuki Mitsui, Yutaka Fujii et al.
A woman in her 50s with no prior psychiatric history developed possession-like symptoms—trance states, altered voices, and personality changes—after a fortune-teller told her that her misfortunes were caused by the spirit of her aborted child. She was hospitalized involuntarily. Medical tests were normal. Her symptoms fluctuated with spiritual contact and included mutism, rigidity, and somatic complaints. Psychosocial stressors such as marital discord and caregiving burden were identified. Treatment with family psychoeducation, occupational therapy, and low-dose psychotropics (tandospirone and zolpidem) led to gradual stabilization. She voluntarily stopped spiritual practices and was discharged after 62 days with sustained recovery. This case illustrates a modern example of Kitousei-Seishinbyo, a culture-bound syndrome first described in 1915, triggered by a fortune-teller.