Scott Alexander reviews a book on Internal Family Systems therapy that controversially claims some mental health issues are caused by literal demons.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews 'The Others Within Us', a book by Robert Falconer about Internal Family Systems therapy and its controversial approach to dealing with 'demons' or malevolent spiritual entities in patients' minds. The review explores the book's claims, the history of IFS therapy, and the potential implications of treating mental health issues as spiritual possession, while also providing a skeptical, materialist interpretation of the phenomena described.
Shorter summary