More often than most realize.

Interesting topic.

Some people are also hyperactive pattern seekers who've directed this talent to the paranormal rather than something productive.

And yes, they're all validated by other's of similar bent who're desperate to believe.

Isn't the question just a special case of the more general condition? Confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance play large roles in how humans frequently jump to conclusions too often and seek only data that supports pre-conceived ideas. As Feynman stated "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool" Is it common? I think it is all too common....in many things and ways.

All too frequently. Delusions fester if fed. Yet, to someone unwilling to accept reality, even surrounded by people who ALL explain they're delusional, they can cling to them. There are some that just refuse to accept that they're delusional.

Well my first wife was diagnosed with schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder and it wasn't accidental that she was attracted to fundamentalist Christianity. Not so much because she heard voices (that wasn't a big feature of her particular constellation of symptoms) as because they shared her professed skepticism about mental health care. Thinking her problem could be prayed away or warded off by sheer blind faith, allowed her not to actually substantively address her issues. At one point, until I put a stop to it, she actually sought out exorcisms.

In the end I had to abandon her to her delusions for the safety of my children and myself. Just had a conversation with my daughter the other day, she's in touch with her Mom and she said Mom is still religious. When our son died a couple of years ago his Mom opined that it's probably because she didn't take him to church more than she did. So it goes. Easier than what the actual case was, he inhereted some of her mental health issues, stubbornness and intransigence around getting appropriate treatment for it, is more like it. There's plenty of blame to go around -- the mental health and medical system, and given that hindsight is 20/20, I probably "should have" seen the immediate severity of his symptoms, which I knew weren't heading in the right direction, but thought it was more slow-motion than it turned out to be. But as usual his mother would not accept her share of the responsibility other than through some proxy that she didn't indoctrinate him enough [sigh].

So yes, there is a shit TON of human suffering inflicted by religious ideation and church doctrine, much of it very under-recognized. Often, it reinforces the WORST facets of human nature.

My special needs daughter likes to think she is psychic.She also believes in Wica. I let her believe whatever she wants to believe in. She is always going to psychic fairs, new age festivals and palm readings. It makes her happy. At 35 she is single, lives in a group home and not allowed to go out unchaperoned. Why should I deny her the one thing she gets pleasure in.? With her meager allowance she bought me a crystal that I wear everyday to make her happy.

There is a difference between psychic abilities and experiences and mental illness, contrary to what some of the people here seem to believe.
However, if she'd already been diagnosed, then it might have been.

I don't know. Plenty of agnostics on this site based on their behavior which I observe are as equally mentally ill. I think religion or lack of has nothing to do with one's mental health and it is insulting to people of faith to suggest they are needing psychological treatment.

I've often thought something similar. If I started telling everyone that "god" told me to do something people would think mental illness. However, stupid politicians do it ALL the fucking time! Do they really believe they heard god? Or are they just telling people what they think they want to hear?

I'm almost envious of charismatic people who are smart and just make up their own bullshit religion and make a ton of money.

Wow....I knew you were going to post this.