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Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal Kindle Edition

by Richard Gallagher (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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The world’s leading psychiatric authority on demonic possession delves into the hidden world of exorcisms and his own transformation from cynic to believer over the course of his twenty-five-year career.

Successful New York psychiatrist Richard Gallagher was skeptical yet intrigued when a hard-nosed, no-nonsense Catholic priest asked him to examine a woman for a possible exorcism. Meeting her, Gallagher was astonished. The woman’s behavior defied logic. In an instant, she could pinpoint a person’s secret weaknesses. She knew how individuals she’d never known had died, including Gallagher’s own mother, who passed away after a lengthy battle with ovarian cancer. She spoke fluently in multiple languages, including Latin—but only when she was in a trance.

This was not psychosis, Gallagher concluded. It was, in his scientific estimation, what could only be describe as paranormal ability. The woman wasn’t mentally disturbed—she was possessed. This remarkable case was the first of many that Gallagher would encounter. Sought after today by leaders of all faiths—ministers, priests, rabbis and imams, Gallagher has spent a quarter-century studying demonic activity and exorcisms throughout history and has witnessed more cases than any other psychiatrist in the world today.

In this eerie and enthralling book, Gallagher chronicles his most famous cases for the first time, including:

  • A professional who claimed her spiritualist mother had “assigned” her a spirit who “turned on her.”
  • A petite woman—”90 pounds soaking wet”—who threw a 200-pound Lutheran deacon across the room to the horror of onlookers in a church hall;
  • And “Julia,” the so-called Satanic queen and self-described witch, who exhibited “the most harrowing” case, a “once-in-a-century” possession.

Going beyond horror movies and novels, Demonic Foes takes you deep into this hidden world, sharing in full details of these true-life tales of demonic possession.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A thought-provoking read sure to attract intrigued skeptics and believers alike.” — Booklist

About the Author

Richard Gallagher, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist, is a professor of psychiatry at New York Medical and a psychoanalyst on the faculty of Columbia University. He graduated from Princeton University, Phi Beta Kappa in classics, and trained as a resident in psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. The world’s foremost scientific expert on the subject of diabolic attacks, he has been an active member of the International Association of Exorcists since the 1990s. He lives in Westchester, New York.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07MK37K4F
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperOne (October 6, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 6, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3999 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 267 pages
  • Customer Reviews:

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  2. Richard Gallagher M.D.

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    A board-certified psychiatrist and highly experienced clinician and teacher, Richard Gallagher, M.D. is a professor of psychiatry at NY Medical College and a psychoanalyst on the faculty of Columbia University. He earned a bachelor's degree at Princeton University in Classics, Phi beta Kappa, winning the class Stinnecke Scholarship Award in Latin and Greek. After teaching and playing basketball in France, he came back to the U.S. for medical school and eventually trained as a resident in psychiatry at Yale University. He is the longest-standing member of the International Association of Exorcists since the early 1990's, serving for a time as a scientific adviser on its governing board. He has devoted many years to distinguishing the rare cases of overt demonic attacks from the much more common conditions of medical and psychiatric disorders. In this capacity Dr. Gallagher has undoubtedly seen more cases of possession - many quite harrowing - than any other physician in the world. He lives in Westchester, N.Y., after serving for many years as the county's psychiatric emergency and crisis director.

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
773 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style very well written, easy to understand, and refreshing. They also describe the content as fascinating, illuminating, and nurturing. Readers also appreciate the moral themes and composition as amazing.

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ContentWriting styleMoral themesCompositionReadability
50 customers mention "Content"50 positive0 negative

Customers find the content fascinating, honest, and real. They also appreciate the good case studies and scientific explanations of various psychological states that can seem demonic. Readers also mention the book goes into detail about exorcism and is a great read that opens their eyes to the other side.

"the book is fascinating and well written by a respected clinical psychiatrist" Read more

"It was a fantastic read. 👏 It’s a very difficult topic to cover even for a seasoned psychiatrist...." Read more

"...I have psychically experienced beings of Light as gentle, kind, nurturing, concerned, patient, and loving -- a love more pure and beautiful than..." Read more

"...It’s an interesting cross section of cases and it’s reassuring to know that “church and the medical sciences” are working together." Read more

20 customers mention "Writing style"18 positive2 negative

Customers find the writing style very well written, tasteful, and easy to understand for physicians.

"the book is fascinating and well written by a respected clinical psychiatrist" Read more

"...They protect, encourage, empower, guide, heal...." Read more

"Expertly written and concisely crafted. This book offers an intellectual look at a very nebulous subject...." Read more

"This is a sane, very well written account of a psychiatrist's years' long investigation into exorcism, and demonic assaults on people...." Read more

8 customers mention "Moral themes"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the moral themes fascinating, terrifying, and respectful. They also say the accounts are compassionate as they describe people suffering from psychological issues.

"...They were each of great integrity and morality, and they each eschewed Darkness in any and all forms...." Read more

"I picked up this book because I thought the premise was very intriguing...." Read more

"...His accounts are respectful and compassionate as he describes people suffering from psychological or physical problems..." Read more

"Demonic Foes is an interesting book. It did drag in a few places, but was worth reading." Read more

5 customers mention "Composition"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the composition of the book amazing.

"...Well balanced and never 'screaming from the pulpit' this book lays out a case why spiritual and scientific principals (and principalities) can..." Read more

"Brilliantly balanced and thought provoking. Enjoyed the book immensely...." Read more

"The text is admirable in style, structure, composition and balance. Easy to read, covers so all dimensions of the topic...." Read more

"Very balanced and interesting read...." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"0 positive5 negative

Customers find the book boring, repetitive, and lame. They also say the first room is scary.

"...appear scholarly I suppose to impress his colleagues but it makes for a boring read. He needs to come down to earth like the rest of us...." Read more

"Very well written with lots of good information, although much of it is repetitive. But a good teacher always repeats." Read more

"...This book is overall boring, and I cannot recommend it." Read more

"...of like a haunted house where the first room is scary and the rest is sort of lame...." Read more

A clinical, scientific view into possessions
4 out of 5 stars
A clinical, scientific view into possessions
😈’Demonic Foes' is such an informative read centered around one of the only topics that truly terrifies me....demonic possessions. When it comes to horror, nothing scares me more than horrorific events that are rooted in truth. So, it should come as no surprise that reading a book based on the first hand experiences of the world's leading psychiatric authority on demonic possessions sent chills down my spine. ⁣⁣Throughout the span of his career, Dr. Gallagher worked alongside Catholic priests and other faith leaders to help determine if claims of possession were actually mental illness or if there truly were demonic entities occupying the bodies of those in question. Some of the case studies were truly frightening and certainly had me feeling a little uneasy, to say the least. I mean, a young women who claims to be a Satanic-queen who participates in some pretty insane sacrifice rituals...ummm...I'll leave it at that, because it gets so much more disturbing, and you just have to read it to believe this story. ⁣⁣Although the topic of demonic possession is both fascinating and terrifying to me, I did find that this book read like more a of scholarly thesis or reference material than an engaging or entertaining account of the experiences of Dr. Gallagher. It was very factual and to the point, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, I do wish it would have been a little more conversationally written, and a little less clinical, which would make it more accessible to a wider audience. There isn't a lot of shock value in this book, but it will certainly interest those enjoy the history and science behind diagnosing demonic possessions, as well as those interested in the darker aspects of psychology and theology. ⁣⁣I would rate this one 🖤🖤🖤💕/5 based on the plethora of factual information in the book that is intriguing but at the same time can seem a bit dry at points. If demonic possessions are something that you've ever been terrified of or curious about, I think this book would certainly give you interesting anecdotes to take in.��⁣**Thank you to @harperonebooks for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review.**
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Top reviews from the United States

James
5.0 out of 5 stars demonic posession book
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2024
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the book is fascinating and well written by a respected clinical psychiatrist
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Thank You
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2024
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It was a fantastic read. 👏 It’s a very difficult topic to cover even for a seasoned psychiatrist. We humas will never understand demonology to the fullest. Our dimension of comprehending is limited. We know only what the Lord has allowed to be revealed and we compartmentalize our understanding according to those revelations. But one day we will understand the secrets of the heavens when we return to be with our creator. Thank you Dr. Gallagher for covering this complex topic to the best of your ability. Well done!
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Sue in Arizona
4.0 out of 5 stars Important compendium, but imbalanced
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2020
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This book is a compendium of direct experiences, illustrative cases, and understandings. It is a complex book, not black-and-white, looking for truth between the extremes of "Satanic panic" and dismissal of the phenomenon. The author is an expert at discerning between mental illness and spiritual attack. (And I think they both can be happening at the same time, too, in complex ways.) The author considers the mysteries of the universe, and he maintains the motive of wanting to help alleviate suffering and torment, and assist in spiritual healing and maturation.

I learned a lot from this book, about my own direct experiences. I understood with more clarity behaviors, motives, and machinations of the demonic world.

I feel a kinship with the author of this book, that our spiritual work intersects, in a world (at least my own personal world) where relatively few have heard of or experienced such things. I appreciate his careful and thoughtful project, to bring his large amount of experience together in one book, to advance the field, so that those who are attacked can be better helped.

I am not a Christian fundamentalist, which I suspect this author may be. Reading this book was like the author reaching across the aisle to me -- someone of different spiritual experience and understanding -- to help clarify and expand my own thinking. I, in kind, with this review, am reaching back across the aisle, to the author, to add my own direct experience and understanding, and hopefully broaden his perspective, too.

The 2 main things that I have to add, to the material in this book are:

1) Psychic senses are neutral – they can sense both Dark and Light – they are not demonic (as the book maintains).

2) If you can psychically experience demons, you can psychically experience angels and beings of Light, too (the book only mentions the demonic, not the angelic).

To expand on that: Unlike many presented in the book, I myself was never drawn to, nor did I participate in, "the occult," in any way. I also do not identify with the term "New Age." 13 years ago, I had a kundalini awakening and became psychic. My kundalini awakening was instigated in a secular meditation class. I had no intention of having a kundalini awakening, and the teacher had no intention for anyone he taught to have a kundalini awakening -- he knew nothing about that. Over time, the kundalini awakening opened my psychic senses (clairaudience -- psychic hearing, clairsentience -- psychic feeling and psychic energies, and a tiny bit of clairvoyance -- psychic seeing). What that means, is that I am able to sense things beyond the visible world (the "3rd dimension"). There are several different things that I have sensed, but for the purposes of responding to this particular book, the main things I have sensed are demons and angels, and the main energies I have sensed are energies of Darkness and energies of Light. People who "sense" "God" in their prayer life and meditation -- that is a psychic sense, too -- intuition. Some people have more developed psychic senses, some less. I know people who have much greater psychic senses than me.

There is a body of research about "kundalini awakening" -- see Lee Sannella, M.D. – that says that the purpose and result of kundalini awakening is to restructure and mature the nervous and energy systems of the human body so that it can better commune with the Divine.

The 5 people I know personally, who are psychic but much moreso than me, they each draw a clear distinction between Light and Dark. Four of them are professional psychic healers. They taught me to not interact with demons at all. They are not fortune-tellers, and they are not trying to make money by telling you hidden knowledge. They are healers, trying to assist people to heal, spiritually. Including people like me, who are tormented and seeking relief. That is the only kind of psychic I have ever encountered, in my own search. They were each of great integrity and morality, and they each eschewed Darkness in any and all forms. (There are a lot of psychics out there, and being psychic is neutral, so I am sure that not all psychics are of such utmost integrity.)

I am not a professional psychic. I am just a person with a personal relationship with the "God" of my experience.

It is true, in my experience, like the book says, that demons, as one of their ploys of seduction, provide "the power of hidden knowledge." They know other people's private business, and they lack boundaries and can make that business known to you, to seduce and manipulate you. My own personal psychic senses do not go into other people's private business. Demons are exponentially more intelligent, psychic, and powerful than humans, in my experience and understanding, and their behavior lacks boundaries, morality, and integrity. I have no interest in their hidden knowledge or anything that comes from the Dark.

In the book, it is shown that the power of God is necessary, to heal possession and oppression. But the book tells of the behaviors of the Dark in detail, but does not include corresponding information about the Light. In my psychic experience, and as the book shows, demons can be belligerent, loud, cruel, interested in causing terror and despair, interested in power and control. In contrast, I have psychically experienced beings of Light as gentle, kind, nurturing, concerned, patient, and loving -- a love more pure and beautiful than anything I have experienced, beyond my understanding and comprehension. They protect, encourage, empower, guide, heal. They are unintrusive (you must invite their presence), infrequent in their guidance (no micro-management, unlike demons), and soft, like a whisper. They always honor free will. Light beings are not included in this book. Perhaps because the Dark aggressively seizes center stage, and makes itself known to “science”, but the Light lovingly watches from backstage, and intercedes without being scientifically observable. The Dark obstructs Love, the Light is Love. To be able to love like the Light is the highest aspiration.

One last piece that is not included in the scope of this book: An experienced, knowledgeable psychic told me that demons should not be punished, and that they are redeemable, but that is beyond human ability, that is between them and God.

The battle between Goodness and Evil in the universe is beyond my intelligence and comprehension. I tried to stick to my direct experience here. There are others who comprehend a lot more -- I wish these various fields could intermingle their experience and knowledge. I will make one stab in the dark, which may be entirely untrue -- since demons try to obstruct God (Love), maybe they have something to do with the Christian fundamentalist belief that psychics are demonic, which would deny Christian fundamentalists an important source of information about God/Light.
93 people found this helpful
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Kelly Dee
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024
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Where I am not Catholic and I do not agree that demons flee from Mary, I did find this a compelling book. The truths that anyone can have an opening for demons is something that is lost in the US culture. It’s an interesting cross section of cases and it’s reassuring to know that “church and the medical sciences” are working together.
2 people found this helpful
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LadyT
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024
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Wonderful to have a book from someone medically involved , although there are excorcists with psychology degrees or doctorates , this is from a Dr.s perspective. Definitely a most read if you’re interested in this topic especially the psychological aspect.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2024
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The study was very balanced and interesting. It was educational but easily understandable. Wow will read again and again. Great
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Suzanne Carl
5.0 out of 5 stars This book has a humble title
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2024
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While the book does clearly deceive our demonic foes, it also explains and differentiates various psychological states that can seem demonic. Quite simply, it explains our human condition. Excellent
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J Matthews
3.0 out of 5 stars Probably hoaxes using new technologies
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2023
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The author doesn't try to rule out hoaxes before declaring that someone is possessed. His examples seem like hoaxes using new technologies, including someone levitating, having creepy knowledge of events in his home, and scary voices talking on his phone. The new gag levitation platforms can be very convincing and simple hacking explains the phone.

Having knowledge of events in his home is easily achieved by hacking wifi or a virtual assistant. Since the only thing "the possessed" refers to is stuff his cat was doing, it sounds like a hacked wifi password. :-)

When he changes his passwords, his demon problems will be solved.
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Top reviews from other countries

R. Freeman
5.0 out of 5 stars Whoa... Eye Opening
Reviewed in Canada on April 25, 2024
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Hard to argue with the author and his level-headed scientific approach, combined with decades of real-world experience.

I have passed this book around to friends who are PHD's, one is a Psychiatrist and another a GP. Both were very impressed with the research, and we had some really interesting conversations afterwards.

If you are in a book club, read this. Then watch everyone's heads explode.
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Carlos Baptista
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in Brazil on February 8, 2023
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Wise, sober, and eye-opening book about the foes "wandering through the world, seeking the ruin of souls". A must read.
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Five Star Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars An important point of reference for Doctors.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2021
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It's extremely rare that this subject is written about by such a highly qualified and experienced Psychiatrist as Doctor Gallagher, who is prepared to stick his head over the parapet and speak openly about this very taboo subject from a medical point of view.

Doctor Gallagher takes a very balanced view when dealing with patients in ascertaining where their problem lies, and explores every possible cause FIRST, ensuring there is no automatic rush to judgement in assuming that a person is under Demonic attack. Moreover, in Chapter 6 under the heading "Troubles of the Mind", Gallagher goes to great lengths to outline numerous mental health conditions which some might mistakenly identify as Demonic, such as Dissociative Identity Disorder (more commonly known as Multiple Personality Disorder).

In the medical world it seems very little is being done to help those under GENUINE attack from intelligent, highly dangerous, non-human entities. Both ignorance and open hostility at the mere mention of the word Demonic is endemic within the medical profession and, as things stand, there is little evidence to show this situation will change any time soon. It seems that within the different strands of science the consensus seems to be that if something cannot be measured then it cannot exist. This approach flies in the face of all the evidence acquired over hundreds of years across many different cultures, resulting in enormous pain and suffering inflicted on those who require professional spiritual help but are deliberately denied the help they need. Many Doctors are puzzled as to why some patients do not respond to ANY sort of medical treatment and will totally ignore and dismiss what is blindingly obvious to those with an intimate knowledge of the Demonic, rare though it is. However, as Gallagher points out, NO amount of evidence will convince a commited sceptic.

Gallagher cites cases where patients have been referred to a Priest after all medical issues have been explored and no medical cause found, and where Doctors have been dumbfounded when a patient has made a full recovery after receiving specialist spiritual assistance. Yet in such cases, no questions are ever raised within medical circles as to why such spiritual intervention has worked whilst traditional types of treatment have completely failed.

What is clear is that Demonic attack can happen to any person from any walk of life, even the most saintly. It is still a mystery why some individuals are targeted by these unseen dark forces and others are not. However, those engaged in Occult practices place themselves in very grave danger, attracting the attention of powerful and dangerous non-human entities hellbent on their destruction. This should not be taken lightly or dismissed as merely superstitious nonsense since the consequences for those engaged in the practice of Witchcraft, Satanism, Wicca, New Age Religions etc can prove disastrous, even fatal.

ADDITIONAL READING

"Slaying Dragons" by Charles D. Fraune delves into this subject in great detail. It would help Doctors discern those suffering from a condition that falls outside the sphere of modern scientific understanding and more to do with what would be classified as the spiritual realm.
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Aadil
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book - treating a controversial and tricky topic with great skill
Reviewed in Australia on July 17, 2023
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This is a tricky topic to write about for many reasons. There are biases involved and the nature of such things makes it hard to draw any simple conclusions. The author with a good understanding of history, religion, psychology as well as years of experience in the field, is able to navigate this well.

The conclusions he draws match up with what I have long suspected. There are a number of cases I've heard/seen which seem to defy any material explanation, and they are very similar to the ones Gallagher identifies here. These have been more in an Islamic context.

I appreciate Dr Gallagher not forcing his views and keeping an open mind throughout, as well as respecting other religions and religious traditions.
One person found this helpful
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Pat Evans
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Canada on October 28, 2023
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I highly recommend this book. Very credible.
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