Possession: a clinical enigma

This is a case of a 21-year-old lady who presented with history of episodes where she would display extraordinary strength while becoming aggressive towards her family members, speak in foreign language and display bizarre behaviour. The episode would last for 15-20 min and would resolve spontaneously. She would always claim amnesia for the event. This would remain irritable in the intervening period. The frequency of such episodes is at least three times a week. The family members took her to several faith healers with no improvement in her condition. On the suggestion of a family friend, the patient was brought in for consultation in the psychiatric clinic. The patient remained a diagnostic dilemma though there has been some reduction in intensity of such episodes on psychotropic medication. Unfortunately, there is no remission in episodes.