demonic possession
Fiend takes over
Demonic possession is the supposed takeover of a person's body and mind by a malevolent spirit or demon.
The possessed person may exhibit dramatic behavioral changes, speak in altered voices, or display knowledge they shouldn't have.
The concept appears across many religious traditions, and exorcism rituals exist to expel the invading entity.
Modern psychology often reframes possession experiences as dissociative disorders or psychotic episodes, though belief in literal possession remains widespread: The priest was called in to evaluate a case of demonic possession.
- SatanJudeo-Christian arch-enemy of God
- evil spiritMalevolent supernatural being
- holy waterSacramental liquid for blessings
- djinnSpirit in Arab folklore
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
spiritual warfare · succubus · black eyes · Malleus Maleficarum · cursed objects · horror films · clergy · Catholic Church · prayer · divine intervention · oral traditions · séance · devil · purification rites · unholy · priest · supernatural · crucifix
- Horror FilmsThe Exorcist, Halloween, The Shining, Friday the 13th, Night of the Living Dead
- horror tropesjump scare, final girl, haunted house, masked killer, slasher
- scary storiesghost story, horror story, scary story, spine-chiller, campfire story
- demonologydevil, Satan, Lucifer, Lilith, Beelzebub
- Biblical Afflictionsleprosy, blindness, boils, plagues, pestilence
- biblical miracleswalking on water, water into wine, raising Lazarus, calming the storm, loaves and fishes
demonic possessiondivine possession
God inhabiting a person
spirit-filled · divine inspiration · speaking in tongues · religious ecstasy · theophany
demonic possessionmental illness
Disorder affecting cognition or mood
psychiatric disorder · psychosis · schizophrenia · dissociative identity disorder · epilepsy
demonic possessiondivine grace
Unmerited favor from deity
salvation · spiritual liberation · deliverance · sanctification · state of grace
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