Controlled by a spirit or demon (in supernatural contexts), or deeply obsessed with something or someone.
From Latin 'possidere' meaning 'to sit in' or 'occupy', combined with the past tense suffix -ed. Medieval theology shaped the supernatural sense when people believed evil spirits could 'occupy' a person's body.
The idea of possession appears in nearly every human culture—from ancient Egypt to modern horror films—and psychologists think it might have originally been a way ancient people explained mental illness or behavior they couldn't understand, giving it a spiritual explanation.
Historically, women were disproportionately accused of demonic possession during witch hunts and religious hysteria. Men accused of similar behavior were more often deemed criminally insane.
Use 'controlled by' or 'influenced by' in neutral contexts. Reserve 'possessed' for supernatural fiction only.
["influenced by","controlled by","dominated by"]
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