Jul 21 2017 86 mins 34
Was Anneliese Michel truly possessed by demonic forces, or was she suffering from a more earthly psychological affliction such as an extreme case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with Scrupulosity, epilepsy, PTSD or Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis? Tonight we examine this case from the solely scientific, clinical angle with our interview of Dr. Jennifer Sy, Ph.D. of the Houston OCD Program. Dr. Sy is a licensed clinical psychologist with training in cognitive-behavioral treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. She received a BA in Cognitive Science from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and her MS and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wyoming. She has published on cognitive/behavioral mechanisms and exposure-based treatment of social anxiety, specific phobias, and panic. In the end, however, even with a diagnosis that seems to cover many of her symptoms, those who allow themselves to consider possibilities beyond flesh and blood may wonder if the truth of Anneliese Michel will remain forever hidden between the worlds of the natural and the supernatural.
