EC Neurology

We report the case of a 22-year-old woman from Nueva Cajamarca, Peru, who, after meeting her biological father for the first time, whom she had never known, and being rejected by her paternal grandmother, began experiencing dissociative symptoms, including disorientation, loss of identity, bizarre behavior, aggressiveness, and unintelligible speech. Her family interpreted the condition as a demonic possession and initially sought help from a traditional healer, followed by a Pentecostal church, where exorcism rituals were performed over seven days. The patient subsequently regained consciousness with complete amnesia for the episode. She is currently receiving psychiatric care for residual symptoms such as sadness, anxiety, hypobulia, headaches, and fear of being alone. This case highlights the complex interaction between dissociative disorders and cultural beliefs in the interpretation and manage- ment of psychiatric symptoms.

Keywords: Demonic Possession; Dissociative Amnesia; Exorcism; Cultural Psychiatry

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