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The Effects of Using Ouija Boards

Ouija or "talking" boards are board games from the 19th century. Their uses include reading people's minds, talking to the dead, talking to demons and talking to Satan. Whether or not Ouija boards work to these ends is a matter of opinion, though countless people take Ouija boards and their use seriously. They believe Ouija boards can open communication with dark forces and lead users down a path of sin.

Talking to Demons, Demonic Haunting and Demonic Possession
- If the tales about the Ouija board are true, then the Ouija board is capable of summoning demons. The user may find she is talking to a manipulative or cruel demonic entity via a talking board. She may even become the recipient of a demonic haunting because she led the demon to herself or her place of residence by communication with the Ouija board. Some believe the Ouija board opens a gateway between a person and demon, allowing for demonic possession. This belief became part of popular culture because of the 1973 horror movie "The Exorcist," in which a young girl becomes possessed after playing with a Ouija board.
Talking to the Dead
- The main purpose of the Ouija board is to communicate with the dead. It is said that Ouija board users sometimes find themselves talking to a spirit other than the one they were trying to contact. They may also be possessed by the dead. There are even stories of the board itself becoming possessed by a spirit.
Social Effects
- Because of religious objections to the occult and skepticism regarding whether items like Ouija boards even work as they are supposed to, a social stigma comes with their serious use. Religious people who believe communicating with the dead and demons is a sin and that Ouija boards are capable of facilitating both of these things may become angry at and judgmental of people who use Ouija boards. Skeptics may treat them with derision or dismiss them altogether.
Psychological Effects
- Using an Ouija board may scare the user, convince him of things that are not true or exacerbate existing mental problems. He may discover unsavory aspects of himself through the ideomotor effect, which can lead to fear and recovery of repressed memories. If he goes into using the Ouija board, knowing its reputation as a gateway to the dead and demons, he can become more susceptible to delusions and hallucinations. If he already has mental problems, the "talking" of the Ouija board can encourage worsening symptoms of those mental problems.

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