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.

Malotype

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

Harke

a dreamlike image of a person's face over water

Offtides

close-up of a chromed metal object

Echthesia

blurry image of two clocks

Yeorie

a woman with tendrils of smoke moving across her face

Candling

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