Name that Disorder
December 7, 2009 2:19 PM Subscribe
Is there a technical term for the irrational paranoia that if something bad happens to someone at the exact same point in life as you are at that it is going to happen to you too at that same time?
For example - and this is totally hypothetical - your friend who is your age suddenly has a stroke and dies. They had no risk factors (just like you wouldn't) and essentially it was a freak occurrence, one of those one in a very large number kind of deals.
You look at your friend and realize that there was nothing to differentiate you from him - neither drank, smoked, had underlying high blood pressure, etc. In other words, you can't point to their bad habit and assure yourself that they had a risk factor that you don't have. You then become paranoid that you too are going to keel over from a stroke at any moment.
What is this feeling called?
For example - and this is totally hypothetical - your friend who is your age suddenly has a stroke and dies. They had no risk factors (just like you wouldn't) and essentially it was a freak occurrence, one of those one in a very large number kind of deals.
You look at your friend and realize that there was nothing to differentiate you from him - neither drank, smoked, had underlying high blood pressure, etc. In other words, you can't point to their bad habit and assure yourself that they had a risk factor that you don't have. You then become paranoid that you too are going to keel over from a stroke at any moment.
What is this feeling called?
No, there is no technical term for this feeling. You'll have to make do with describing it.
In your example it's just the shock of realising you've reached that age where you're no longer invincible.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:50 PM on December 7, 2009
In your example it's just the shock of realising you've reached that age where you're no longer invincible.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:50 PM on December 7, 2009
Best answer: For example - and this is totally hypothetical - your friend who is your age suddenly has a stroke and dies. ... You then become paranoid that you too are going to keel over from a stroke at any moment.
Availability heuristic: — estimating what is more likely by what is more available in memory, which is biased toward vivid, unusual, or emotionally charged examples.
posted by ludwig_van at 3:07 PM on December 7, 2009 [5 favorites]
Availability heuristic: — estimating what is more likely by what is more available in memory, which is biased toward vivid, unusual, or emotionally charged examples.
posted by ludwig_van at 3:07 PM on December 7, 2009 [5 favorites]
Nope, not that I know of.
posted by ottereroticist at 3:18 PM on December 7, 2009
posted by ottereroticist at 3:18 PM on December 7, 2009
I don't think there is a scientific or legitimate term for it. I call it the, "Oh crap, I'm fooked" feeling.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 5:04 PM on December 7, 2009
posted by JohnnyGunn at 5:04 PM on December 7, 2009
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Sorry.
The concept of sympathetic magic kinda applies.
posted by Babblesort at 2:31 PM on December 7, 2009