“I am possessed. Please help me.” “My sister needs an exorcism.” “I think my house has a demon.”
That’s what’s in my email most days. Either someone thinks they’re possessed, or they think someone close to them is.
Though at least 80% of those emails are pranks — and replies will immediately bounce back as undeliverable email — someone from Hollow Hill always replies in case the person really does need help.
Unfortunately, replying to those emails takes time away from our real research: Proving, disproving and predicting the phenomena that could explain what people think are ghosts and hauntings.
(The pranksters… do they call 911 “just for fun,” too? Did no one read them the story about the little boy who cried “wolf” too many times? I would not wish a demon on anyone, but people need to know: Demons are not something to joke about, or a door to open for fun.)
Demonic possessions are very serious. The good news is, they’re also rare.
Other things can look like demons or possessions. In the vast majority of cases, the person is not possessed, is not tormented by demonic entities, and the best help does not involve an exorcist.
Devil possessions and demonic possessions — two different things — have been studied for centuries from a variety of theological and practical viewpoints.
Generally, no one wakes up one morning and is suddenly possessed. It doesn’t happen. There were always many warning signs of increasing intensity, and they built up over a period of time.
What you can do
If someone does transform overnight, suspect a medical issue. The first call should be to the person’s doctor.
If the person seems to be transforming gradually, and turning from happy and normal to dark, brooding or even malicious, you’ll still want to alert the family physician. The cause might be something physical, such as a reaction to food or a medication.
However, I also recommend contacting a professional in the spiritual/religious community. It doesn’t have to be someone at a church that you (or the victim) go to… or even believe in. It simply needs to be a traditional and/or mainstream church: When you might be dealing with a malicious spirit, you need someone with spiritual experience.
Was a Ouija board involved?
In most cases, the problem started with a Ouija board — or some other divinatory technique — in the hands of someone who didn’t understand the risks. (I’ve already weighed in on that subject, in other articles.)
Whatever you do, do not burn the Ouija board… or anything else that might be possessed.
Consult a demonologist about how to dispose of it, safely.
If the problem is severe
Are you afraid for your personal safety, or the victim’s? If this issue has been building for awhile, but you thought it’d go away on its own, contact a demonologist, a priest or a minister right away.
Don’t keep searching the Internet for answers. If anyone is in danger, contact someone in your community today. If they don’t have enough expertise to deal with the issue, see my Recommended Resources list, below.
If your house may have a demonic entity
If something odd is going on at your house and you feel in great danger, get out of that house.
Never stay in a situation where you feel in danger. Even if it turns out to be something normal — such as EMF issues from unshielded electrical wiring — your safety must come first.
If the problem at your house has been going on — at a low (but annoying) level — for awhile, read my book, Is My House Haunted? (That link explains what’s in the book, and you can download free pages as well.)
It covers the step-by-step measures to take first, to rule out normal explanations for your problems. Then, if it’s a paranormal issue, I explain what to do next.
Possessions are rare
Remember, the answer to strange behavior — especially sudden and dramatic personality changes — is rarely anything demonic.
However, if you aren’t sure, it’s smart to contact someone who will know the questions to ask to determine your level of danger.
Recommended resources
I recommend* only a few demonologists and exorcists with whom I’ve worked in the past:
John Zaffis – http://www.JohnZaffis.com and PRSNE (203) 375-6083
Father Andrew Calder – http://www.myspace.com/andrewcalder
NEAR – http://www.nearparanormal.com/
Also, if you might be dealing with a poltergeist rather than a demon, and especially if a teen or a child is involved, contact Peter Haviland. He travels to meet with clients, and is based in Texas. Lone Star Spirits – http://www.lonestarspirits.org/
*I’m sure there are other excellent professionals in this field. I simply cannot recommend people I don’t know in real life, and haven’t worked with in the context of demons and dark entities.
Very good information. I just thought I’d throw up another article about ‘Metaphysical Remediation’ that you may find interesting. It’s written by a member of my team, we’re NYS certified social-sciences researchers with degrees including Anthropology and Psychology. Give it a check, site is new the firm is old.
http://www.nyshadowchasers.com/articles.html
plz if any1 need help do contact me.if some1 in ur family or ur house is haunted or possessed i can help u.free of cost. contact me [edited] i will love to help
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Webmaster’s comment: Unless we know an investigator personally, and we’re certain that he or she left the comment, we generally don’t approve comments with email addresses in them. If you’d like to share your URL, that’s fine.
Please help me. I have been followed by something since I was young, off and on. It has never gotten real bad but now I have a seven month old son and it seems like this thing is following him now too. He sees it I think, and it terrifies him. please help I’m not concerned about myself, I am terrified for my son. I don’t know what to do or where to go someone please just help me I need to make this stop.
Jesse, contact John Zaffis (JohnZaffis.com) for help.
Hello, Fiona.
I trust John Zaffis is to be a very good investigator. I believe this. I just seen the trailer “The Haunting in CT”
which is based on a true case he worked on. I haven’t seen the full movie, yet.
My question is this. I know its based on a true story, but how much? Is there some or most not quite true just to make the movie more frightening?
After watching just a little bit, that nearly made me quit being a paranormal investigator.
Please let me know what you’re insight is on this.
I trust everything you tell me.
Thanks, Fiona.
Hi Rich,
Thanks for the compliments!
John Zaffis is a good friend, and I trust him. However, I can’t speak for him, so this is simply my opinion based on what I’ve seen and heard about the CT case and about demons in general.
There are two productions based on the actual CT case. One is the TV show, “A Haunting in CT” and the other is the movie, “The Haunting in CT.”
As I understand it, the TV show is mostly based on fact. The movie… well, it’s a movie, very loosely based on what happened. John’s character was turned into a priest, I think.
So, don’t let the movie alarm you. It’s entertainment for some (not for me) who think that sort of thing is fun to watch. I’m pretty sure it was intended to be a “good” scary movie, not even vaguely resembling a documentary.
The TV show is worth seeing. So are John’s presentations about his work.
If you’ve read my oldest articles, you know that I didn’t believe in demons. Demons… they just didn’t fit with my views.
Then, one of my investigators died suddenly after visiting a cemetery where she encountered something that… well, it wasn’t a ghost and it seemed to follow her home. That’s covered in my articles about Vale End Cemetery in Wilton, NH.
After that, I took demons (whatever they really are) more seriously.
John and I regularly speak at the same events, so I’ve seen his presentations several times. Each time, I take another step back from this field in general. What he deals with… that’s not fun and it’s not at all what I got into this for.
It’s one reason why I’ve shifted my emphasis away from haunted houses, and towards more R&D work… finding patterns that predict paranormal activity, and some of the tools we can use to measure what’s going on there.
We need to get a handle on what it is we’re witnessing at “haunted” locations. Our personal safety could be very much at risk.
I’m not sure how much our belief in things (in quantum terms: the effect of the observer) creates what’s going on in our world. The added emphasis on demons in TV shows… it seems to have opened some kind of door that’s led to more demon reports. Since I don’t work with demon cases, I don’t know how many are real and increasing cases, how many are the paranormal version of hypochondria, and how many are demonic issues that people previously thought were simply cases of insanity.
All in all, I think it’s vital for people to understand the risks involved in this kind of work. Ghosts, parallel worlds, etc… that’s one thing. Something that can take over a person’s body — with who-knows-what going on regarding the soul/spirit — that’s dangerous stuff.
It puts all of us in a difficult position. We need answers, and the only way we’ll find them is through research. However, we have to be very, very careful about spotting dangers and immediately shifting those cases to people who know what they’re doing if it’s a demonic case… people like John Zaffis.
Thanks for asking. I should probably rewrite this as an article, where more people will see it.
This is an issue that I think we need to be very aware of, and take appropriate precautions.
Sincerely,
Fiona
If you have possessed or question you can feel free to email me. serious people only
I need help for my 8 year old son. He in the last month or so has been having Severe anger outrage and episodes where his eyes look glassed over And it doesn’t look like he is even there. We originally just thought he was being a brat when he didn’t get his way but he would throw, break, and threaten to kill everyone and every animal in our home. He would tell us to shutup even when we weren’t speaking. These episodes would last around an hour and usually wouldn’t end until I would pull out my bible and read and usually then he would scratch, threaten to tear up the “stupid bible” and scream. Last night was the worst I’ve seen it and it was number 4. Nothing we were doing was working, his body doesn’t feel anything, we even tried tickling him to get him to laugh. Finally I looked online for a prayer to protect and remove anything that may have caused this and minutes later his eyes looked normal and was finally wanting to eat. Were not a real religious family and actually today would be out 3rd Sunday going to church and we started doing that to pray for my father who was just diagnosed with cancer. Please help, this is not a prank and I’m scared next time I’m may not be able to help him.
Kristy, Please re-read that article. I’m not able to help you via email or even by phone. You need someone local to help you, or an experienced demonologist (see my list in the article) to evaluate what’s going on.
Sincerely, Fiona
What can one do if one has burned a ouija board?
I had a friend who said she was clairvoyant, and she felt she was experiencing evil dreams due to her dabbling with her ouija board. At the time, I thought nothing of it, but I promised to get rid of the board for her. I took it out into a field….that was many years ago, and I don’t remember if I burned it, or partially burned it. I think I might have, and then I buried it.
My life has developed into a gloomy one, and though I feel odd even wondering about this, now that I read that one should never burn a ouija board, I am wondering if there is some ominous force that has been influencing me. If so, is there anything I can do about it?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
the simplest to handle possesed person as u can say 1,2,3…
ok first just take one glass of water then say “A’udzubillahimisyyaitonirrojim” and say “BISSMILLAH” (In the Name of Allah)
repeated continously 9x
if that can’t handle
download mp3 (just googling it) ” Ruqyah Syar’iyah” and play it Loud and all the “demon, ginnie or what ever it is ” wouldnt come for a moment until u stop the mp3.
I suggest u try to remembered Al Qur’an : Al Baqarah : 255 , its called Ayat Qursy just remembered and say it if u need it
or Annass
Hi Kristy,
Please send me your email address or phone number. I will contact you and can guide you as to what to do immediately to stop this. Your son needs help but we need to first analyse this with certain checks to determine the actual cause and case.
[Edited to remove email address.]
Life is wonderful and noone has the right to take away that happiness.We are here to help and we are with you.These things feed of your fear. Have faith, help is always at hand.
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Webmaster’s note: Though this may be a legitimate resource, HollowHill.com is careful not to contribute to situations and business agreements that Fiona cannot verify. This means confirming both the client’s situation and the capability of the potential service. With Fiona’s schedule, that’s just not practical.
If you want to include a link to your website — a site that looks professional, not a typo-loaded code-and-graphics nightmare thrown together to attract desperate, vulnerable people — that’s fine.
However, we always warn people never to share their phone number with anyone. (Skype is a fine alternative for most people, and that information can be on your website.) Likewise, never post your address, workplace, or other personal information that could be used by a stalker or other criminal.
As Fiona reminds us regularly, most people in the paranormal field are good, caring individuals. However, over the past couple of years there have been increased reports of cons, scams, and sexual predators.
In addition, Hollow Hill was never intended to be a paranormal version of Craig’s List. The time required and liabilities involved make it impractical for us to allow posts that will connect clients with people or teams providing services.
We recommend just a few demonologists known personally by Fiona: John Zaffis, Fr. Andrew Calder, NEAR and Peter Haviland. They’re all linked to, from Fiona’s articles about possessions and demonology.
Why do I feel very frighted,(one of those can’t move,don’t breath, goosebump kinds) Every time I pray or pick up a bible??? I feel like Something is looming over me ready to attack as soon as I do. I feel I either have to stop or hurry up to get through my prayers (I’m not really religous it has just become so habitual I use to do it nightly.) You know now I lay me, Our Father & Angel of God. A few months back as I lay in bed immediately after I felt this huge rush of energy shoot through my body like I was being electricuted it lasted for about a minute. Do you have any insight or suggest where I can go to ask? Thank you so much I value your opinion greatly.
I myself have had alot happen to me but it’s over the course of my whole life. some times I feel drained like I can’t move and my tv will change stations and speak in a launge I cannot under stand I went crazy trying to remember every thing my family thinks I can tell the future when I’ve done told them 200 times some thing told me this and showed me what’s to come this letter is far from a prank I wrote alot of this down 4 to 5 years ago and it’s a little hard for me to get back for my proof I even tried contacting the catholic church I got no reply! the doctors said the voices where in my head but they couldn’t explain the tv. Or how I was predecting every thing . one nite it was soo bad my dad had to take me to the hospital I kept freaking out very bad telling him something was going to happen he didn’t believe me at all so I was comitted the next day I went in to eat and all the doctors where standing there watching the tv when they stepped back I saw that Virginia tech had been attacted I live prob 40 mins from there. I have dejavu like you’ve never seen. my friends saying I’m some type of prophit they have also seen alot go down when they are around me the voice will say my name but also it will say Michael wich isn’t my name at all . can a demon tell you things to come ? cause I’m repeating every thing it said or showed me and it’s happening faster than I can hold on I’m sick of being told I’m crazy when i’m telling the truth this isn’t a prank at all I really don’t know how much more I can take of this .
Jack,
Please see someone in your community right away. When someone says, “I don’t know how much more I can take,” that’s a huge warning sign. Don’t write to the church… go directly to it. Any mainstream church can help, or refer you to someone who can.
Or, see a doctor you trust, who will take this seriously. Clinics with several doctors can be helpful, because at least one of them may have had experience, dealing with what you’re describing. If they aren’t taking you seriously, insist on an immediate referral to someone who’s successfully dealt with demon issues.
Often, it’s a two-part process: A spiritual counsellor who understands the demon issues, and a medical doctor who will monitor the issues related to the physical stress and emotional exhaustion you’re coping with.
Speak with someone right away. Make sure they understand this is an ongoing problem, not something to take lightly.
I’m not a demonologist or a doctor. I work only with lighter topics such as ghosts and haunted houses. The subject of demons is completely outside my range of expertise.
Talk with professionals in your community. Get referrals if they don’t know what to do.
However, it’s vital for you to get the help you need, immediately.
Sincerely,
Fiona Broome
Hi I’m 26 married 5 years I have been seeing demons and hearing them I never let it worry me but now its getting stronger while I’m sitting I’ll feel a burning sensation and when I look there’s 3 scratch marks on my body it tells me I don’t deserve to be alive and I should die it will make me happy I tired taking my life 5 times by slitting my wrist I have da scars to show I’m really scared I can’t sleep at night and have to take sleeping tabs to sleep it has sex with me everytime my husbanb gets close to me he sees me has a man I have tried so many pastors nobody can help da pastors pray for me but the next day they get sick or scared and don’t come back I have been pregnant four times it tells me my babies won’t see the birth canal it eats the foetus and tells me its full now I can’t take this anymore its driving me to end my life just to stop it I have been to the hospital there’s nothing wrong with me I get sick and when I go back to the doctors they tell me my sugar is high or I have pressure I’m constantly in pain my looks are getting worst I’m blowing up and I don’t no why I’m loosing all hope is the devil more powerful that nobody can help me