On Demons: Spiritual, Psychedelic and Psychotic Experiences of Malevolent Agency

By comparing descriptions of demonic encounters in Christian traditions and while under the influence of psychedelic substances to demonic-like visions and voices in psychosis, I highlight some common emotional, perceptual, and cognitive features of malevolent agent encounters. The negative emotional valence of these experiences corresponds to visions of threatening animals or animal-human hybrids, as well as visions of blood, fire, smoke, and darkness. Threatening, grotesque, mischievous, deceptive and mocking facial representations also correspond to the threatening, derogatory, and manipulative voices and messages of malevolent spirits or voices. Subjects also describe loss of self-control and agency when encountering demonic forces, which is sometimes accompanied by uncontrollable bodily movements.

The loss of self-control and agency in malevolent agent encounters can be distinguished from feelings of ‘passivity’ in positively valenced spiritual experiences, in that individuals do not consent to the presence, will, intentions or messages of malevolent agents. Additionally, the lack of self-control and agency reported in malevolent agent encounters is distinct from a total loss of self-control, agency, or self-identity observed in some cases of supposed demonic possession. Subjective experiences of demons are therefore distinguishable from observable behaviors associated with demonic ‘possession’. The focus of this talk is the subjective experience of malevolent agency encounters and not demonic ‘possession’.

Just as the phenomenology of malevolent agent encounters appear similar across contexts, so to do common methods of defense against malevolent forces. Looking at individuals who encounter demonic forces under the influence of psilocybin mushrooms, we see examples of the tendency to pray, call-for-help, and fight demonic forces, as well as efforts to negotiate and reconcile with demonic entities. I suggest that both strategies are common, perhaps universal, responses to malevolent forces that have been systematized in various religious and therapeutic traditions.

Given that these strategies (resist or reconcile) reflect real-world responses to hostile agents or negative thought-patterns, it may be helpful to apply real-world strategies when dealing with malevolent psychospiritual forces, and moreover, to explore the possibility that spiritual or mythological realities represent an imagined simulation, template, or ‘practice-ground’ for updating social-interactive processes.

Instead of adhering to strict norms in response to hostile spiritual agents, there may be appropriate contexts for either resisting, suppressing, or negotiating with demons. In severe cases of malevolent agent attacks or persecution, fighting hostile agents via prayer, or suppressing hostile agency via antipsychotic medication, may be appropriate, while attempting to reconcile with hostile agents may be preferable when subjects are feeling relatively well, and find themselves in a supportive or therapeutic setting. For example, recent experimental trials have begun to test the efficacy of AVATAR therapy for individuals who hear distressing voices. This therapy involves ‘standing-up’ to and then talking to a digital representation of a hostile voice/entity that becomes progressively less hostile across therapeutic sessions.

The resemblance of malevolent agent encounters to real-life encounters with potentially hostile agents suggests that demonic agent encounters resemble a form of social-cognitive simulation. By way of analogy, we can liken this process of mental simulation to generative A.I. Our minds can splice together prior and present socio-emotional inputs to create generic encounter experiences that then serve as templates for reflection and action.

The unwilled or unintended experience of demons, in contrast to the often-intentional engagement with benevolent spiritual agents, suggests that this social-cognitive simulation of threatening encounters emerges spontaneously under certain mental conditions (e.g., stress, fatigue, etc.). I will end this presentation by discussing some general cognitive capacities that may be related to demonic agent encounters, such as dreaming, daydreaming (fantasizing), and internal dialogue. However, I will also suggest that the distressing emotional qualities (negative valence, high-arousal, low control) as well as the increased perceptual vividness, significance and symbolic power of malevolent agent encounters sets them apart from typical imaginative processes.