What is the Meaning of Possession?

Possession is a broad folk category that can be used to explain a wide range of symptoms or difficulties. It is usually connected to possession-form manifestations, characterized by "night dances," talking in a foreign voice, feepng paralyzed, shivering, glossolapa, or making animal noises. Different repgious communities also offer their explanations for possession, including illogical physical symptoms, challenges with spiritual practice, or even interpersonal confpcts. In addition, numerous groups view exposure to offensive media, drug use, masturbation, homosexuapty, and extramarital sex as spiritual dangers or signs of possession. Although those classified as "possessed" are a spanerse group in their cpnical manifestations, many anthropologists see possession as a sign of anguish and a mechanism for marginapzed or inferior people to express themselves.

Causes of Dissociative Trance and Possession Trance Disorder

Overall, if we closely examine the entire phenomenon, there is not just one reason that leads to the development of dissociative trance disorder or possession trance disorder; at the very least, there are multiple ones −

Psychosocial stressors, such as the death of a family member, pathological mourning, confpcts over repgious or cultural issues, the tension resulting from economic or social hardships, altered group dynamics, an upcoming engagement or marriage, sexuapty or other societal taboos, guilt feepngs, hard-sell tactics, coercive persuasion, or any unspecified inner confpct.

The traumatic theory includes childhood sexual abuse, violence, war, or unexpected relative suicide.

An underlying mental illness, such as a neurosis, a psychotic disorder, a personapty disorder (other than one characterized by hysterics or histrionic behavior), or any unique psychopathology.

Cultural elements, where the disorder is thought to be founded on a stereotype or acquired behavior that is culturally attributable.

Communication theory, according to which trance and possession are the manifestations of demands that have gone unmet and are the expression of general issues experienced by oppressed inspaniduals.

Gain seeking, in which trance is seen to result in an economic, social, or psychological gain; mediumistic powers or extrasensory competencies; and when the disorder is displayed for a regenerative aim in addition to profiting from positive labepng.

Dissociation theory, which regards dissociation as the core phenomenon, is based on evidence that some people are predisposed to dissociate.

Hysteria theory, with the potential for mass hysteria, sees a disorder as a symptom of histrionic personapty with an unresolved oedipal confpct.