u/Pretty-Humor5548

hello everyone. i’m a 24-year-old psychic medium and witch. i’ve apparently been sensitive to spirits/energy my whole life, although i only became consciously aware of it about two years ago. around the same time, i began practicing witchcraft and developed what i feel is a very strong connection with my ancestors and spirits. i communicate with them through what i understand as mediumship, as well as through tarot.

for about two years, i’ve also been having extremely vivid and intense dreams involving intimacy. sometimes i’m involved in the dream, and sometimes i’m observing someone else. there is often a man i’ve never met before, and he’s consistently very attractive. these dreams have been happening on and off for the entire two years.
i’ve never had a boyfriend or a serious relationship. i’m gay, and while i know being attractive obviously doesn’t guarantee a relationship, i consider myself kind, understanding, and open to relationships. i just haven’t met someone who felt right. the longest i’ve ever had something with a guy was about a week.

recently, i had another one of these dreams, but this time i started wondering whether there could be a spiritual explanation. i’ve heard stories about people having relationships with spirits and about shamans having spirit spouses, including spirit husbands or wives.

i mention shamanism because i genuinely feel that about two years ago i experienced what i interpreted as a kind of shamanic calling, although it happened during a psychological crisis. since then, i’ve felt that i’m particularly sensitive to energy and other people’s emotions.

i’ve also had a few readings done by friends who practice divination. based on those readings, i started wondering whether i may have made some kind of pact or agreement with a spirit or demon that is obsessive or infatuated with me. one friend specifically interpreted their reading as a demon trying to make a deal with me involving having a relationship/intimate connection with it.

i’m honestly unsure what to make of all this. part of me wonders whether this entity could be responsible for the dreams and possibly even interfering with my ability to have relationships with people in real life.

do people here have experience with the concept of spirit spouses or similar experiences? do you think something like this is possible within spiritual traditions, or are there more ordinary explanations for recurring dreams like these?
i’m genuinely looking for different perspectives because i’m not sure whether i’m interpreting my experiences correctly.

i am open to a understand, mutual consenting relationship with this demon because it doesn’t seem harmful but is that unsafe as well?

Hello everyone,

I’m 24 years old, and I had my first psychotic episode when I was 21. Since then, I’ve had four separate episodes, and each one was more severe than the last. My most recent episode was last October, and I’ve been stable and consistently taking my medication ever since.

One thing all of my episodes had in common is that they occurred during periods of heavy cannabis use while I was not taking medication. I’ve come to recognize that I have a cannabis addiction, and I’m actively trying to address it, but it has been much more difficult than I expected. Cannabis use disorder is very real, and despite wanting to quit, I find myself struggling.

I’ve discussed this with my psychiatrist. Her professional recommendation was, of course, to stop using cannabis entirely. However, she also acknowledged that many young adults use cannabis and explained that staying on my medication significantly reduces the risk of another episode. She told me that if I am unable to quit immediately, limiting my use to weekends only and avoiding excessive use would be a much safer approach than returning to heavy, frequent use.

I also have a therapist who has expressed a similar view. She has told me that, given that I am medicated, engaged in therapy, and monitoring my mental health closely, she would prefer that I keep my use very limited rather than spiral into heavy use. We discussed limiting it to weekends and no more than about a gram. She is okay with this usage and is quite confident that I will be okay and stable.

That said, I’m terrified of experiencing another psychotic episode. I genuinely do not want to go through that again. At the same time, I’m finding it incredibly difficult to stop using cannabis completely.

I was wondering if anyone here has experience with a similar situation. Have any of you had cannabis-related psychosis and later been able to use very occasionally while remaining stable on medication? Or did you ultimately find that complete abstinence was the only option?

I’m not looking for medical advice—I’m mainly hoping to hear about other people’s experiences and what helped them stay healthy and avoid relapse.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate any insight you can share.

Hello everyone,

I’m 24 years old, and I had my first psychotic episode when I was 21. Since then, I’ve had four separate episodes, and each one was more severe than the last. My most recent episode was last October, and I’ve been stable and consistently taking my medication ever since.

One thing all of my episodes had in common is that they occurred during periods of heavy cannabis use while I was not taking medication. I’ve come to recognize that I have a cannabis addiction, and I’m actively trying to address it, but it has been much more difficult than I expected. Cannabis use disorder is very real, and despite wanting to quit, I find myself struggling.

I’ve discussed this with my psychiatrist. Her professional recommendation was, of course, to stop using cannabis entirely. However, she also acknowledged that many young adults use cannabis and explained that staying on my medication significantly reduces the risk of another episode. She told me that if I am unable to quit immediately, limiting my use to weekends only and avoiding excessive use would be a much safer approach than returning to heavy, frequent use.

I also have a therapist who has expressed a similar view. She has told me that, given that I am medicated, engaged in therapy, and monitoring my mental health closely, she would prefer that I keep my use very limited rather than spiral into heavy use. We discussed limiting it to weekends and no more than about a gram. She is okay with this usage and is quite confident that I will be okay and stable.

That said, I’m terrified of experiencing another psychotic episode. I genuinely do not want to go through that again. At the same time, I’m finding it incredibly difficult to stop using cannabis completely.

I was wondering if anyone here has experience with a similar situation. Have any of you had cannabis-related psychosis and later been able to use very occasionally while remaining stable on medication? Or did you ultimately find that complete abstinence was the only option?

I’m not looking for medical advice—I’m mainly hoping to hear about other people’s experiences and what helped them stay healthy and avoid relapse.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate any insight you can share.

Hello everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance and advice.

I’m Afro-Caribbean, though not Haitian, and for quite some time I’ve felt strongly drawn to the Lwa, the saints, and Haitian Vodou. I’ve had dreams involving serving spirits, and I keep feeling pulled toward learning more about this path in a serious and respectful way.

The challenge is that I don’t really know what to do next. I would love to receive guidance from an experienced elder, Mambo, or Houngan, or even get a reading from someone reputable, but I’m currently dealing with financial difficulties and don’t have the resources to invest much money into my spiritual journey right now.

I’m wondering if anyone knows of any trustworthy Haitian Vodou Mambos, Houngans, or spiritual communities in New York City that might be willing to offer guidance, mentorship, or point me in the right direction. Even recommendations for books, community events, or ways to learn respectfully while I save money would be greatly appreciated.

I feel frustrated because the calling feels very strong, but I’m not sure how to move forward responsibly and respectfully.

Thank you for any advice or insight you can share.

Hello everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance and advice.

I’m Afro-Caribbean, though not Haitian, and for quite some time I’ve felt strongly drawn to the Lwa, the saints, and Haitian Vodou. I’ve had dreams involving serving spirits, and I keep feeling pulled toward learning more about this path in a serious and respectful way.

The challenge is that I don’t really know what to do next. I would love to receive guidance from an experienced elder, Mambo, or Houngan, or even get a reading from someone reputable, but I’m currently dealing with financial difficulties and don’t have the resources to invest much money into my spiritual journey right now.

I’m wondering if anyone knows of any trustworthy Haitian Vodou Mambos, Houngans, or spiritual communities in New York City that might be willing to offer guidance, mentorship, or point me in the right direction. Even recommendations for books, community events, or ways to learn respectfully while I save money would be greatly appreciated.

I feel frustrated because the calling feels very strong, but I’m not sure how to move forward responsibly and respectfully.

Thank you for any advice or insight you can share.

Hello everyone,

I have a question about the relationship between psychosis, spirituality, and the idea of a shamanic calling.

I’m 24 now, and I had my first psychotic episode when I was 21. At the time, I was using cannabis. During that episode, I genuinely saw what appeared to be an orb of light enter my room. Looking back, I know that hallucinations can occur during psychosis, so it may have been a hallucination. However, at the time, I felt like it communicated a message to me, and after that I completely lost touch with reality and became very mentally unwell.

I am now stable and have been doing well since my last episode in October of last year.

The reason I’m asking this is because I recently watched a TED Talk where the speaker discussed shamanic traditions. He said that in some shamanic communities, people who are believed to be called to become shamans often go through what is described as a “calling,” and that this calling can look very similar to psychosis—or in some cases is essentially experienced as a psychotic crisis. The idea was that the person has a psychological breakdown, intense visions, unusual experiences, and then is guided by their community to integrate those experiences rather than being viewed solely as mentally ill.

I want to be clear that I am not denying that I experienced psychosis. I know I was psychotic, and I know cannabis likely played a major role. However, the TED Talk made me wonder: if some traditions view psychosis-like experiences as a shamanic calling, is it possible that my psychosis was also a calling to become a shaman? Or is that just another way of interpreting what was ultimately a delusion?

Part of why I wonder is that my grandmother comes from a hometown with shamanic traditions, so I sometimes question whether there could be a cultural or spiritual dimension to what happened.

For those who are familiar with shamanism, spirituality, or mental health: how do you distinguish between a genuine shamanic calling and a psychotic episode? Is there any reason to think my experience could have been both, or am I likely looking for meaning in something that was simply a symptom of cannabis-induced psychosis?

For context, I have been told that I do not have schizophrenia and that my episodes were cannabis-induced psychosis.

I’d appreciate any perspectives. Thank you.

Did anyone else experience abuse from their parents, only to have them later deny it ever happened?

I’m 24 now. When I was 18, I left my parents’ house and moved in with my grandparents. Later, after experiencing several psychotic episodes, I had to move back in with my parents because my grandparents were getting older and didn’t have the financial resources or ability to continue supporting me.

Recently, I had a conversation with my dad that brought up some childhood memories. I told him that I remembered him hitting me with a belt on my forearm because I couldn’t answer a school-related question correctly. He became very frustrated and insisted that it never happened. The thing is, I vividly remember the welt it left and exactly where it was on my arm.

I also brought up the fact that CPS came to our house when I was in 2nd grade. My dad said CPS got involved because I told my teachers that he hit me with a pair of pants. However, I remember a presentation at school about child abuse that used puppets to explain different situations. I remember relating to what was being described and telling my teachers about things that were happening at home.

What makes this difficult is that my parents also provided me with many opportunities and resources that they never had growing up. They came from very rough backgrounds, and I am genuinely grateful for a lot of what they did for me. At the same time, I feel like there was definite physical and emotional abuse in my childhood.

Because I have a history of psychosis and have experienced delusions in the past, I sometimes question my own memories. I remember these events clearly, but part of me wonders: what if they’re right and I’m somehow misremembering everything?

I also told my dad that I felt ostracized and emotionally isolated as a kid. He was very frustrated by that statement. But I remember being called “ungrateful” and “selfish” frequently growing up, and I often felt like my feelings weren’t taken seriously.

Has anyone else struggled with this kind of self-doubt? How do you distinguish between false memories and a parent denying things that actually happened? Is this a form of gaslighting, or am I missing something?

EDIT:
Psychosis happened when i was 21. I did not have psychosis as a child

i want a reading.

i’m feeling pretty lost in my life and i’ve been through a lot over the past couple of years. i have a sense of where i want to go and the future i’m trying to build, but i feel stuck and unsure about the path to get there.

is anyone here open to doing a reading for me? i can share a recent photo and any other details you might need. i’m genuinely looking for guidance and perspective from someone who works with intuition/mediumship or similar practices.

thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this or reach out.

Hey everyone,
I’m a singer and dancer currently trying to build a career in music and performance.
My long-term goal is to become widely known as an artist — not just for recognition itself, but because I want access to resources, bigger creative opportunities, and the ability to build a real career from music (music videos, performances, dance visuals, touring, etc.).
Right now I have one song out and I’m planning to release an EP this summer. I’m also actively working on my performance, songwriting, and visual ideas, and I spend a lot of time thinking through concepts for music and choreography.
But I feel like I’m still at the beginning and I want to understand what actually leads to real growth in 2026.
For artists who have actually built an audience or gotten industry attention:
What moved the needle the most early on?
Was it TikTok/short-form content, live shows, networking, consistency, or something else?
At what point does it make sense to approach labels (US or Thailand), or is that even the right goal anymore?
I’m open to any honest advice — I just want to understand the most realistic path to building visibility and eventually a sustainable career in music.

Hey everyone,
I’m a singer and dancer currently trying to build a career in music and performance.
My long-term goal is to become widely known as an artist — not just for recognition itself, but because I want access to resources, bigger creative opportunities, and the ability to build a real career from music (music videos, performances, dance visuals, touring, etc.).
Right now I have one song out and I’m planning to release an EP this summer. I’m also actively working on my performance, songwriting, and visual ideas, and I spend a lot of time thinking through concepts for music and choreography.
But I feel like I’m still at the beginning and I want to understand what actually leads to real growth in 2026.
For artists who have actually built an audience or gotten industry attention:
What moved the needle the most early on?
Was it TikTok/short-form content, live shows, networking, consistency, or something else?
At what point does it make sense to approach labels (US or Thailand), or is that even the right goal anymore?
I’m open to any honest advice — I just want to understand the most realistic path to building visibility and eventually a sustainable career in music.

I’ve been wondering about the relationship between psychosis and spirituality, and I’m curious whether there is any academic research, religious literature, or other credible sources that suggest a genuine connection between the two.

I’ve experienced psychosis a few times in my life, and during those episodes I had strong religious and spiritual delusions. For example, I believed I was a prophet, and I thought I had spiritual or magical abilities that, looking back, were probably not possible. Those beliefs felt completely real at the time.

What makes this complicated for me is that I still have spiritual beliefs today. For example, I read tarot, and sometimes the cards and messages I pull feel uncannily accurate in ways that don’t seem like random guessing. Because of that, I sometimes wonder whether psychosis can make someone more open to spiritual experiences, or whether what I experienced was entirely the result of mental illness.

Part of me wants to believe there was some spiritual foundation to what I went through. Another part of me thinks I was simply struggling with a serious mental health condition and trying to make sense of it afterward.

I’m not looking for validation that I was a prophet or that my delusions were true. I’m more interested in hearing from people who are familiar with the research, religious traditions, psychology, psychiatry, or who have had similar experiences themselves.

Has anyone come across evidence that suggests a meaningful relationship between psychosis and spirituality, or are the connections people experience generally understood as symptoms of psychosis itself?

I’ve been wondering about the relationship between psychosis and spirituality, and I’m curious whether there is any academic research, religious literature, or other credible sources that suggest a genuine connection between the two.

I’ve experienced psychosis a few times in my life, and during those episodes I had strong religious and spiritual delusions. For example, I believed I was a prophet, and I thought I had spiritual or magical abilities that, looking back, were probably not possible. Those beliefs felt completely real at the time.

What makes this complicated for me is that I still have spiritual beliefs today. For example, I read tarot, and sometimes the cards and messages I pull feel uncannily accurate in ways that don’t seem like random guessing. Because of that, I sometimes wonder whether psychosis can make someone more open to spiritual experiences, or whether what I experienced was entirely the result of mental illness.

Part of me wants to believe there was some spiritual foundation to what I went through. Another part of me thinks I was simply struggling with a serious mental health condition and trying to make sense of it afterward.

I’m not looking for validation that I was a prophet or that my delusions were true. I’m more interested in hearing from people who are familiar with the research, religious traditions, psychology, psychiatry, or who have had similar experiences themselves.

Has anyone come across evidence that suggests a meaningful relationship between psychosis and spirituality, or are the connections people experience generally understood as symptoms of psychosis itself?

I recently had a consultation with a priestess from Massachusetts, and based on the information I shared, she felt that 21 Divisions/Haitian Vodou would be the right spiritual path for me. Unfortunately, the distance is difficult for me right now, and while I may be able to work out the financial side of the lave tet, traveling that far regularly isn’t realistic at the moment.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any reputable elders, priests, or priestesses who practice Haitian Vodou or 21 Divisions in NYC or Long Island. Any recommendations, guidance, or advice would be deeply appreciated. Thank you so much.

I’m feeling really confused about my spiritual path right now and would appreciate some respectful advice.

For about a year and a half, I’ve been venerating my ancestors, although I took a break for a while because I experienced psychosis and had to focus on my mental health. Even during that time, I still read Psalms, prayed to my ancestors, and recently set my ancestor altar back up so they have a space in my home again. I also still read playing cards since I have to keep my practice private from family and can’t openly keep tarot cards.

Before my psychotic episode, I felt very drawn to the 21 Divisions. I’m Caribbean, but my family is from Barbados rather than Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. I felt deeply connected to the saints and wanted to learn more, but during my episode my spirituality became mixed with religious delusions. I started believing things that were clearly not true, and looking back on it now, I know my mental state was affecting my beliefs and behavior. I genuinely hope the saints forgive me for the things I said or believed while I was unwell.

Now that time has passed and I’m in a more stable place, I want to carefully reconnect with spirituality in a healthier way. I’m interested in African traditional religions again, and I’m also curious about Obeah because of my Barbadian background. At the same time, I still feel strongly drawn to the saints and the lwa through the 21 Divisions.

What I’m struggling with is figuring out what path is actually right for me. Part of me worries that because of my psychotic episode, I somehow damaged my connection spiritually. Another part of me wonders if I should focus more on traditions connected to Barbados and my ancestry instead.

I already have a relationship with my ancestors, and I feel ready to start learning about a tradition more seriously, but I want to approach it responsibly and respectfully this time.

If anyone has advice, especially people experienced with ATRs, the 21 Divisions, or Caribbean spiritual traditions, I’d really appreciate it. Please just be kind regarding the psychosis aspect — I’m trying to navigate spirituality and mental health carefully and honestly.

I’m feeling really confused about my spiritual path right now and would appreciate some respectful advice.

For about a year and a half, I’ve been venerating my ancestors, although I took a break for a while because I experienced psychosis and had to focus on my mental health. Even during that time, I still read Psalms, prayed to my ancestors, and recently set my ancestor altar back up so they have a space in my home again. I also still read playing cards since I have to keep my practice private from family and can’t openly keep tarot cards.

Before my psychotic episode, I felt very drawn to the 21 Divisions. I’m Caribbean, but my family is from Barbados rather than Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. I felt deeply connected to the saints and wanted to learn more, but during my episode my spirituality became mixed with religious delusions. I started believing things that were clearly not true, and looking back on it now, I know my mental state was affecting my beliefs and behavior. I genuinely hope the saints forgive me for the things I said or believed while I was unwell.

Now that time has passed and I’m in a more stable place, I want to carefully reconnect with spirituality in a healthier way. I’m interested in African traditional religions again, and I’m also curious about Obeah because of my Barbadian background. At the same time, I still feel strongly drawn to the saints and the lwa through the 21 Divisions.

What I’m struggling with is figuring out what path is actually right for me. Part of me worries that because of my psychotic episode, I somehow damaged my connection spiritually. Another part of me wonders if I should focus more on traditions connected to Barbados and my ancestry instead.

I already have a relationship with my ancestors, and I feel ready to start learning about a tradition more seriously, but I want to approach it responsibly and respectfully this time.

If anyone has advice, especially people experienced with ATRs, the 21 Divisions, or Caribbean spiritual traditions, I’d really appreciate it. Please just be kind regarding the psychosis aspect — I’m trying to navigate spirituality and mental health carefully and honestly.

I’m feeling really confused about my spiritual path right now and would appreciate some respectful advice.

For about a year and a half, I’ve been venerating my ancestors, although I took a break for a while because I experienced psychosis and had to focus on my mental health. Even during that time, I still read Psalms, prayed to my ancestors, and recently set my ancestor altar back up so they have a space in my home again. I also still read playing cards since I have to keep my practice private from family and can’t openly keep tarot cards.

Before my psychotic episode, I felt very drawn to the 21 Divisions. I’m Caribbean, but my family is from Barbados rather than Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. I felt deeply connected to the saints and wanted to learn more, but during my episode my spirituality became mixed with religious delusions. I started believing things that were clearly not true, and looking back on it now, I know my mental state was affecting my beliefs and behavior. I genuinely hope the saints forgive me for the things I said or believed while I was unwell.

Now that time has passed and I’m in a more stable place, I want to carefully reconnect with spirituality in a healthier way. I’m interested in African traditional religions again, and I’m also curious about Obeah because of my Barbadian background. At the same time, I still feel strongly drawn to the saints and the lwa through the 21 Divisions.

What I’m struggling with is figuring out what path is actually right for me. Part of me worries that because of my psychotic episode, I somehow damaged my connection spiritually. Another part of me wonders if I should focus more on traditions connected to Barbados and my ancestry instead.

I already have a relationship with my ancestors, and I feel ready to start learning about a tradition more seriously, but I want to approach it responsibly and respectfully this time.

If anyone has advice, especially people experienced with ATRs, the 21 Divisions, or Caribbean spiritual traditions, I’d really appreciate it. Please just be kind regarding the psychosis aspect — I’m trying to navigate spirituality and mental health carefully and honestly.