The Exorcism of Anneliese Michael: A Story of Possession or Neglect?

Oftentimes I find that truth is far stranger than any work of fiction. That is why I laugh when people talk about how far fetched soap operas are. Of course, many of their stories are a bit out there, but others are actually tame in comparison to real life. That is even true of what many would consider real life horror stories.

This is certainly the case for a young German girl named Anneliese Michael. Born in 1952, by all accounts Anneliese was a typical young girl with one possible exception. She was known to be extraordinarily religious. In fact, her faith in God was the one thing that she never questioned. She certainly would never have expected it to be her undoing.

In 1969, seventeen-year-old Anneliese began a journey from which she would not return. Almost over night her life went from one of sublime happiness to that of absolute terror.

Out of nowhere one day Anneliese's body began to shake. Try as she might, she could not force it to stop. Once taken to a clinic, physicians diagnosed her as having a grand mal epileptic seizures for which she was treated.

Something, however, told the young girl, that the diagnosis was wrong. Perhaps it was the devilish imps that appeared to her whenever she knelt in prayer. Maybe it was the horrific figurines that suddenly crowded her dreams or the evil voices that whispered in her ear. Whatever it was, Anneliese felt she was being tested.

After two years of continuous onslaught, Anneliese became convinced that she was possessed. She suggested the possibility to her psychiatrist who at first dismissed the girl's concerns. But after she informed him that the voices were trying to control her and make her do things she didn't want to do, he diagnosed her as schizophrenic and prescribed anti-psychotic drugs.