While many believe Ouija boards to be a great source of spooky entertainment, there are thousands of people who firmly believe that they can connect them with the spirit world.
Unfortunately, what most people fail to understand is that toying with the paranormal without truly understanding it comes with a price: their sanity.
Photo credit left: flickr/macpupu right: 13490215@N08
The First Case of Ouijamania
Photo credit: flickr/44357407@N07
Updated 2/10/2020 – The quiet town of El Cerrito made national headlines on March 7, 1920 when reporters wrote that the whole town had become “Ouija mad”.
According to the story, the police arrested seven people “driven insane” after using the board.
One of the people arrested was a 15-year-old girl who was found naked as she believed it helped her “communicate better with the spirits”.
Not long after, ‘Ouijamania’, as newspaper dubbed it, started spreading all over town.
There was even a story where a police officer ripped his clothes off, claiming to be possessed by the Devil, and ran into a local bank.
Deciding to take action, the town’s officials called in mental health professionals to examine the 1,200 people that made up El Cerrito’s population.
However, tackling this rationally wasn’t enough.
To prevent future outbreaks of ‘Ouijamania’, the town banned the use of these boards within city limits.
Explaining Ouijamania
Photo credit: flickr/128560165@N03
According to experts, participants in Ouija board sessions and those who knew about them may lose their sanity because the messages which the spirit attempted to communicate may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Spending days and nights contemplating these is bound to drive many people over the edge, especially if their questions are very important.
Does Ouijamania Still Occur?
Photo credit: flickr/thepulpgirls
There have been several instances where people committed crimes or behaved strangely after using the board.
One example is that of the inmates in a southern California county jail.
The prisoners were in hysterics after using a Ouija board they created using a Scrabble set.
The inmates, all hardened Latino gang members, claimed that they were possessed by the devil.
They only managed to calm down when officials called in a priest to perform an exorcism.
You yourself may be at the risk of Ouijamania if you’re not cautious while using the board.
So stick to the rules outlined here and don’t make any mistakes that can compromise your sanity or bring a presence you’d never want in your life.