Moral Injury, Trance and Possession State or a Schizophrenic Illness
Nigerian Journal of Medicine January 1, 2025 Oluwatomiwa Ajayi, Arit Esangbedo, Abisola A. Lawal et al.
Moral injury—intense distress after violating one's ethical beliefs—may contribute to the development of primary psychotic disorders, not just post-traumatic stress disorder. A 22-year-old Nigerian man with a conservative Christian background developed schizophrenia after experiencing moral injury: following prophecies that discouraged premarital intercourse, he had intrusive flashbacks, guilt, and disorganized thoughts a month after his first sexual experience, then psychotic symptoms including beliefs of possession, altered voice, and self-harm seven months later. Treatment with Olanzapine brought significant improvement within two weeks. Cultural and religious beliefs likely shaped his symptoms. More research is needed on moral injury's role in psychosis and sociocultural influences.