ABSTRACT
In every culture and time some people have exhibited bizarre, distorted, and notably different behavior and, as a result, have been set apart and dealt with in some special manner. The explanations and treatment of the observed deviant behavior have varied throughout history, and often progress takes the form of old concepts re-emerging at later times. These explanations and treatments, ancient and modern, all seem to revolve around a similar observation: the individual is not “in control of himself” but is under the influence of powerful, disruptive, internal forces. Primitive man thought of these internal forces as independent and self-directing which, for their own diabolic reasons, impelled the unfortunate possessed person to disordered behavior. The major control primitive man thought he had over such forces was through magic, and he utilized magical rites in attempts to force the demons and spirits out of the afflicted person’s body. Later in cultural development religion began to displace magic and man prayed to and beseeched supposedly higher powers than himself to intervene and drive out the demons.
