Relationships,FamilyJUL 24, 2026

Witchy MIL Keeps Poisoning DIL’s Life But She Sends Herself To The Grave With Her One Last Potion

Magic, potions, and curses might seem like they are reserved for the likes of the Harry Potter world, but some walking, talking humans actually believe in them.

So much so that one woman took to the internet to share the unbelievable reality of dealing with a mother-in-law (MIL) who genuinely believed herself to be a “witch of the old religion.”

She said her MIL once gifted her a dreamcatcher made out of strands of her own hair, and threw pig’s blood at her on her wedding day.

Things took a dark turn when the MIL ingested a toxic potion consisting of 12 different essential oils. The story gets even murkier from there and might leave you stunned by how far this obsession truly went.

A woman said her mother-in-law ingested a potion made out of 12 different essential oils

Image credits: Anna Shvets / Pexels (not the actual photo)

She said her mother-in-law believed herself to be a witch

Image credits: MissCyborg007

Many people around the globe believe in unseen spiritual forces

While tales like this sound straight out of a horror movie, believing in spells, curses, or spiritual energy is far more common than some people think.

A global study that involved more than 140,000 people found that about a billion people across 95 countries believe in witchcraft.

Researchers emphasize that 1 billion is almost certainly an undercount. Because discussing witchcraft remains a sensitive or taboo topic in many cultures, many respondents likely hid their true beliefs.

All the surveys asked respondents if they believe in the “evil eye,” or the idea that “certain people can cast curses or spells that cause bad things to happen to someone.” About 40% of respondents globally answered that they believe in this description of witchcraft.

In the US, an estimated 1 to 1.5 million people say they practice Wicca or paganism.

Modern traditions such as paganism, Wicca, and various forms of folk magic often center on working with nature, herbs, and personal energy. For most practitioners, these traditions serve as peaceful, introspective paths focused on self-growth and respect for the natural world.

A lot of people also use witchcraft to regain a sense of agency when life feels overwhelming.

To some experts, magical thinking is far more than an ancient belief. It is built into human nature as a survival tool. It helps some people navigate uncertainty and process things that feel impossible to handle.

“A fundamental function of magical thinking is to establish for the individual a sense of control, which gives that person a sense of confidence in a vast, confusing and indifferent world,” says Phillips Stevens, associate professor emeritus at the University at Buffalo.

However, as the author’s shocking story illustrates, it can be highly dangerous when deeply held beliefs are paired with erratic behavior.

According to experts, spiritual beliefs or superstitions cross the line into a mental health concern when they disrupt daily life or cause real distress. When a person’s behavior begins to harm their health, relationships, or ability to function, it becomes a serious problem.

Real-world impact of believing in magic and superstitions

A 2020 study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care highlights that people with strong superstitious beliefs are significantly more likely to ignore medical advice. They might also skip prescriptions or substitute real medical care with unproven remedies.

Another study analyzed the effects of magical thinking and found strong links to health anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and psychological distress.

Relying on rituals or signs to feel safe creates a vicious cycle. The person becomes hypervigilant, believing that a wrong thought, a broken ritual, or an unseen force could cause immediate disaster.

Experts also note that extreme superstitious behavior can be a sign of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In these cases, superstitious beliefs and daily rituals become so deeply ingrained that they completely take over a person’s life.

“Superstitions become problematic when they cause you to do things that aren’t beneficial to you, or they cause you to not do things that would be,” says Stuart Vyse, a psychologist in Stonington, Connecticut.

Our brain also tends to mistake random events for meaningful patterns. When a person falls deep into magical thinking, confirmation bias kicks into overdrive. It can turn everyday coincidences or bad luck into perceived signs or “curses.”

This might make it nearly impossible for people to view reality objectively or recognize where cause and effect actually meet.

Living with or managing a relative who holds paranoid or boundary-violating delusions can also cause stress. Family members are often forced to choose between stepping in as emergency caregivers or cutting ties entirely to protect their own well-being.

This story is a reminder of how fragile the boundary between personal belief and harmful obsession can be.

Whether in our own families or our wider communities, recognizing when someone’s beliefs are causing harm can mean the difference between saving a life and a tragic ending.