‘Demons’ used to explain mental illness

Dr Hari D Maharajh, senior lecturer in psychiatry in the department of Clinical Medicine, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, said at a mental health seminar on the weekend, that some religious leaders of the Muslim, Hindu and Christian faiths wrongly advise their followers that their mental problems were the result of demons.

The mental health seminar was hosted by the South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) at the Naparima Bowl. Admitting that his presentation would be controversial, the psychiatrist spoke on the topic- “Insanity in the Trinidadian society.”

Saying he was not “bashing religion”, Maharajh said that too many religious leaders were advising followers that psychological problems were as a result of “demonic activity” and other supernatural entities.

He cited a case where a young woman had been told by a minister of religion that she had been possessed by 13 demons which had to be “cast out” from her body, however only 12 were successfully exorcised and when the minister was unable to cast out the final “spirit”, the young woman was referred to him (Dr Maharajh). He diagnosed her as suffering from a mental illness and after a course of treatment, she was cured.

In another instance, he said, a young woman was denied access to medical treatment by relatives who instead believed that the woman would be “resurrected” by her deceased grandmother.

The young woman died and her body lay at her home for four days until neighbours complained about a foul smell and alerted the police who discovered the remains.

“Religion is being abused in Trinidad and Tobago and is instead being used for personal gain,” Maharajh said; adding that certain foreign medical doctors were now “preaching” to their patients and sporting the fruits of their preaching- fancy new cars and large houses.

“What is the difference between a priest and an obeah man? A priest deals with white magic and the obeah man deals with black magic...so there is no difference,” he said.

Dr Maharajh questioned the degree of funding which was being given to the sector from the Ministry of Health’s budget and observed that the San Fernando General Hospital’s, (SFGH) Ward One facility, which treats patients with mental illnesses, was in a state of disrepair.