EXORCISTS who say depression and schizophrenia are demons that can be cast out, are treating children as young as two for possession, a claim the Australian Medical Association has dismissed as unscientific and potentially harmful.

Perth-based Set Right is a non-denominational Christian ministry. Their Leader, known as ‘Apostle’ Michelle Pecoult, says they’ve seen a “massive rise” in possessions, and now exorcise four or five people a day. She said people find them online and through psychic fairs and they also visit schools and prisons.



The Set Right website notes that depression is a "common low ranking demon" while schizophrenia is "another demon we have met often and evicted".



"We've removed schizophrenia. People have been healed of it… God is greater than any medical doctor, he’s greater than me. We’ve seen absolute physical healing… and people in a major state of depression,” Ms Pecoult said.



"Depression can be a symptom of a demonic power being in there. Jesus dealt with lunatic spirits, they’re real. You can’t get rid of them by medication. You have to renew your mind."



Dr Choong-Siew Yong, a practising psychiatrist who represents psychiatry on the AMA's Federal Council said he was concerned about untrained practitioners making claims that contradict the science. He warned that claiming someone was possessed could reinforce their delusions and stop them getting proper care.



"There is an enormous amount of research that has discredited the idea that people with psychiatric conditions such as depression and schizophrenia are because of demonic possession. That’s a very old idea, not held up by science," he said.



"We’d be concerned that people were missing out on reliable, well-evidenced, modern medical treatment.



"Some people with psychotic illnesses do believe that they’re possessed, or have strange religious ideas… but when they’re assessed by a doctor there will be a diagnosis of mental illness."



Ms Pecoult says her team has intensive training through the Holy Spirit to treat people and worked in conjunction with her husband Vince who has a psychology degree.



"The two should go together," she said. She also emphasised that they do not take payment for exorcisms but do it to "glorify God".



Mr Pecoult said he studied psychology but then the Bible taught him that there might be a spiritual root to mental health issues. He said they counsel people after 'deliverances'.



"The casting out of demons is the easy part of the process," he said.



Ms Pecoult said the two-year-old child they treated was “unaware of what was going on".



"The two-year-old was in a normal play situation and suddenly he was unable to move, speak, do anything… he started growling and snarling," she said.



"(The demon) was told to leave and in 20 minutes he had left. The child didn’t know."



She said while sometimes they have to do "emergency" procedures, generally they like to talk to the person first.



She said they did not use crucifixes but prayed and that they often witness levitations and contortions.



The Catholic Church has warned of an increase in possessions and the need for exorcisms, with some priests blaming popular culture series such as Twilight and Harry Potter despite there being no possession or exorcism shown in either series of books and films.



On Sunday 60 Minutes interviewed three American teen exorcists and their mentor, the Reverend Bob Larson, who says he has 100 teams of exorcists travelling the world and visiting countries as far flung as Australia.



News.com.au spoke to WA former police chaplain and Anglican priest Barry May, who is also an author and 'freelance exorcist', about that program.



He says the 'teen exorcists' obviously did not have the experience needed to do the job, and that to do it properly requires far more investigation.



He says while demand for exorcisms was on the rise, he would only have done 25 exorcisms over 40 years. He is approached far more often but prefers to offer people the "ministry of healing".



He said most people he treats have been turned away by the Catholic Church or told it would take a year to get an exorcism approved.



Dr Yong said most churches made the right decision when faced with someone who believed there was a devil in them or in a loved one.



"I've had patients who've been members of churches and at some stage have either asked for an exorcism or seen someone about possession and often the church refers them to a psychologist or psychiatrist. In most cases churches make the appropriate decision," he said.



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