Indosentia

Indosentia

n.
the fear that your emotions might feel profound but are crudely biological, less to do with meaning and philosophy than with hormones, endorphins, sleep cycles, and blood sugar—any of which might easily be tweaked to induce unfalsifiable feelings of joy, depression, bloodlust, or kinship, or even a spiritual transcendence of your physical body.

Acronym of the supposed “happy chemicals” Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins + in absentia, something done in your absence. Pronounced “in-duh-sen-shah” or “in-doh-sen-tyah.”

Elsing

Cover image for the Elsing word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Emorries

a magnifying glass over photos and books

Hobsmacked

Cover image for the Hobsmacked word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Momophobia

Cover image for the Momophobia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Antiophobia

Cover image for the Antiophobia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Lap Year

several people racing bicycles uphill in a forest