If you are worried that someone you know may be the victim of demonic possession, then you might be in need of an exorcist. Although official exorcisms can only be performed by an appointed Priest of the Roman Catholic church, there are other types of exorcisms and exorcists available. This guide will provide you with information on how to determine if an exorcism is needed and how to perform an exorcism should an official exorcist not be available to you.

Are you afraid someone you know is being possessed by the Devil or a Demonic spirit? Do you think this person may be in need of an exorcism? If so, there are several options available to you. Although official exorcisms can only be performed by a Priest appointed by the Roman Catholic Church, this is not your only option. Some Protestant denominations also offer exorcisms, which is referred to as deliverance ministry. Other options are also available, as this guide will reveal.

An exorcism is a ritual performed to cast out an evil spirit that has taken up residence inside a human. Although the human will still have possession of his or her soul and will, the demonic spirit will be in control of both the person's mental and physical faculties. Legitimate possessions are thought to be those where the Devil is in possession of the person, but has the help of various demonic spirits operating upon lust, anger, revenge, hate, anxiety, destruction, etc. Because the victim has been possessed against his will, he or she is not held morally accountable for whatever may transpire during the possession.

Those susceptible to possession include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. People that fall victim to a spell
2. Those that have given themselves over to sinful acts such as violence, perversion, extremely relaxed morals or terrible crimes
3. People that have been traveling in the circles of evil people or places. This includes dabbling in the dark arts, including satanic practices. It may also refer to those practicing the occult or having their fortunes or cards read.
4. Divine permission. This occurs when God decides to allow the possession to take place, which may be intended to help strengthen the possessed person's faith.

Some signs that will indicate a person is possessed include the following:

1. The person despises all things associated with holiness, including the cross, discussion of God or the Virgin Mary and all images associated with the Catholic faith
2. The possessed individual can understand and speak in unknown languages without ever having heard or spoken them
3. The person can predict the future, revealing what is to come
4. The person possesses extreme physical strength beyond their normal capabilities

If you think someone you know is being possessed, the first thing to do is investigate. Whether you opt for an official exorcism and investigation, or unofficial one, you will still need to investigate to determine the legitimacy of the possession claim. You may want to consult with a psychologist or similar behavioral therapist as well. They will be able to monitor the person's actions and determine if the person is question is actually suffering from mental problems instead of demonic possession. The investigative process will entail determining whether or not the signs of a possession are present, and if so, whether or not they can be explained by something other than possession.

If you want an official exorcism performed, you will need to contact the appropriate people via the Catholic church. There are usually a certain number of official exorcists, the exact amount determined by the country you live in. There was once a time when anyone could perform an exorcism and have it be recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, but this has since changed. Amongst other reasons, the Church believes that a lay person may be more susceptible to the demons because they may not be as pure of sin as the appointed Priest.

If you are not seeking an official exorcism, however, or just want one performed as soon as possible, there are other options available. These include:

1. Bring in someone that has the gift or powers necessary to recognize and perform exorcisms. These will not be official exorcisms though.
2. Have someone from a Protestant church perform the exorcism. They refer to exorcisms as deliverance ministries.
3. Perform the exorcism yourself

If an exorcism is required, you will need to decide what type to perform. There are two main types of exorcisms:

1. Solemn exorcisms can only be performed by Priests
2. Simple exorcisms can be performed by anyone

All exorcisms involve prayers of some sort. For simple exorcisms, the exorcist will usually recite the St. Michael's Prayer. In addition, the exorcist should not address the demon directly, instead imporing God and not using the word 'I' at all during the exorcism.

Exorcisms involving Priests also revolve around prayer, but also implore other methods, usually using salt and Holy water.

Although rare, exorcisms may be needed if someone is definitively possessed by a demonic force. Although only Priests appointed by the Roman Catholic Church can perform an official exorcism, there are many exorcisms performed annually by unofficial exorcists. If you are worried someone you know may be possessed, then following the above steps will help prepare you for performing an exorcism, even if you must do it yourself.