In my opinion, yes. Maybe not in all cases, but I would guess in something like 90% of them. This I would say from firsthand experience as someone who once suffered from demonic possession. I am a former NPR news reporter and now a writer and author.

As you join me in reading my article, you are sitting in a realm inhabited by the demonic and angelic. It’s called the supernatural. You are probably protected from seeing in this realm that surrounds our terrestrial realm. Protected in the mercy of God because if we could see what some of the demons that hang over us trying to afflict us or direct our paths look like, we would flee in terror and we would not be able to spend our days.

I was first educated at The Ohio State University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. I became a news reporter at a commercial radio station, then at an NPR affiliate where I worked on radio and television. Later I went to Los Angeles as an entertainment reporter. News editors and professors teach journalists to be cynical until they get the facts. In my hard news reporting, I have preferably had to interview multiple sources to get the facts, before running a story or writing an article.

In my own personal battle with alcohol, drugs (cocaine), and manic depression, I had several run-ins with the supernatural, most of which horrified me. I think it was strong proof that something demonic was going on. After much research, I came to the conclusion that something clearly demonic was at the root of my battles with mental illness and addiction.

My spiritual warfare with demons took what I call internal and external battles. There were many internal battles with demons that manifested in manic depression, drug addiction, and alcoholism. But it wasn’t until I had an OUTSIDE battle with the devil, like something out of a horror movie, that I was convinced that supernatural and evil spirits are real. Demons can inhabit within the body and mind and outside or outside the body in the environment, atmosphere, etc. Only through God can we effectively and permanently cast them out.

Since then I have been delivered by the power of prayer and fasting to Jesus Christ and have not had to take medicine in 11 years. I once took Haldol, Mellaril, Lithium, Thorazine and Elavil, heavy psychotropic drugs. I was placed in quiet rooms and padded rooms, in straitjackets and restraints. A doctor said she probably had manic depression with a “touch” of schizophrenia. Oh great. I glanced at his clipboard that he had left in my room and it said, “He suffers from a serious mental illness. Serious in fact, I felt like the walking dead at times.”

As those suffering from or still tormented by bipolar illness know, it is often cyclical with normal periods when you are sane.

It was in various normal periods years ago, between mania and depression (bipolar illness) where I was just doing my day job that the demons began to manifest. Anyone who has been in a truly haunted house knows what I’m talking about.

Anyone who has seen The Exorcist knows what I’m talking about. Why were people so stunned and so scared even with this Hollywood version of take and release? Because deep down inside, we feel like we could be vulnerable. That there was a lot of truth there. (After all, it was based on a true story about a young boy. I’m not Catholic, but I go to a Bible-based Christian church, and my deliverance was through prayer, fasting, and praying the scriptures. I had no an exorcist, I had the Great Physician, Jesus Christ.)

On February 17, 1994, while living in Los Angeles, I had one of my last terrible and tormenting battles with the demon realm. My husband and I were separated and I was lounging on the couch that night. I looked up to see three shadowy entities that looked like three men in the corner where my husband often prayed to a (false) god and burned incense.

I called who was there, the evil entities laughed and said: “We are demons.” If it had been a TV parody of Saturday Night Live, I would have laughed too. But these evil spirits manifested in my living room and it was NOT fun.

Two days later I felt a strong presence of pure atmospheric evil in my apartment. The water was running without me turning it on, the toilet was clogged, a strong smell of sulfur and cat feces permeated the air. (I didn’t have a cat.)

I had an appointment and I left the apartment. I was smoking cigarettes at the time and went back inside because I had forgotten them. The evil presence was still there, and I nervously scrambled for my cigarettes. Before I could walk out the door, I was suddenly attacked by a hideous, invisible demonic presence that clawed at my back and shot from the base of my spine into my brain. I ran screaming from the apartment terrified. I felt like my personality and essence had been taken from me and it was days before I could pray.

It wasn’t until I was able to call on the name of Jesus that I felt the ebb of the presence. A year later I moved to New York City, no doubt trying to get away from the demons! Which is silly because they are either into you or have no problem following you wherever you go or both. The good thing was that I found a great Bible-believing church in New York. I learned to pray and fast, memorize and meditate on scriptures, fellowship and call believers to pray for me.

When I was ready to give up my old way of life, I called on Jesus for salvation. So I called a prayer partner for deliverance. His trust in Christ as healer and prayer gave me the assurance that he would be free. The next three days I went into prayer and fasting. This was a spiritual warfare, truly a supernatural battle for my mind, body, and soul.

On February 25, 1998, I walked into a cold, deserted New York City park and prayed for deliverance from alcohol, drugs, and mental illness. I cried and fell on my face with my arms outstretched begging for my freedom. In the invisible realm I felt a weight lift, I felt the bonds break, the chains break, and a sense of release. I walked out of that park a free woman.

I do not advise anyone to stop taking their medication abruptly. Psychiatrists serve their purpose for those who are catatonic or a danger to themselves or others. Pray for wisdom. I spent a year before my release weaning myself off psychotropic drugs and bathing in the protection of prayer to God. If you are not released immediately, it is not because God does not love you. Meditate on the Scriptures and you will begin to feel peace, purpose, power and protection.

Mary Magdalene had seven devils (demons) until the Lord cast them out. It is speculated that she once suffered from mental illness. Anyone with seven demons is not in her right mind! One of the scriptures that I clung to, meditated on was:

“When Jesus rose in the morning, on the first day of the week, he first appeared to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast out seven demons.” Mark 16:9

A formerly “crazy” woman, and yet Jesus gave her the honor of being the first person to see the risen Christ. He then made a woman the first evangelist when she told Mary Magdalene to run and tell the disciples that she had seen him. Finally, more than 500 witnesses saw Jesus. He had conquered death as he said he would.

The Jesus of the Bible that I and other believers know is not just the Lover of your soul. He is a Healer and Deliverer. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is mighty and powerful beyond human comprehension. He will summon a heavenly host of warrior angels to fight when you call.