tormented

This term conveys a state of intense, prolonged suffering that is often internal and psychological. It suggests a feeling of being trapped or relentlessly pursued by a source of pain, such as guilt, grief, or a traumatic memory. While "suffering" is a general state, "tormented" implies an active, aggressive quality to the distress, as if the person is being tortured by their own thoughts or external circumstances.

In a social context, the word is typically used in serious, dramatic, or literary registers. It is rarely used for mild annoyance or temporary stress; using it for trivial matters would be perceived as hyperbolic. It frequently collocates with words like "soul," "spirit," or "conscience" to emphasize the depth of the mental anguish.