Symptomania

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

Symptomania

n.
the fantasy that there’s some elaborate diagnosis out there that neatly captures the kind of person you are, tying together your many flaws and contradictions into a single theme—which wouldn’t necessarily sort out the mess inside your head but would at least let you mark it with a little sign so people know to walk around it.

From symptom + mania.

Occhiolism

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Los Vidados

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Amentalio

a person in a white dress, facing away

Wellium

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

Kuebiko

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

Semaphorism

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