10 odd emotions you may have experienced
We all experience a wide range of emotions each day. But did you know that there are actually names for some very specific feelings? See how many of these you identify with.
1. Opia
Have you ever had a feeling of arousal when you lock eyes with another person (even a stranger on the bus)? That’s opia. Naturally it depends on the circumstances, as a mutual gaze with someone who looks like they want to steal your wallet is not a good feeling. But when it is between two people who feel attracted to each other it can be very pleasant indeed.
2. Déjà vu
Many of us have experienced this one. It is a feeling that you’ve done something or been somewhere before, while you are doing it. It can be really specific too – for instance you might just be stepping off a train and see someone drop their coffee on the platform and this can trigger the feeling. 3 out of 4 people say they have experienced déjà vu so it’s a very common emotion.
3. Ellipsism
This is the specific sadness that comes from knowing that you won’t live to see what happens in the future. For instance you may feel sad knowing that you won’t live long enough to see your children start a family of their own.
4. Chrysalism
This is the feeling that you get when looking out the window at driving rain and feeling warm and secure inside your warm house. It’s based on the idea that you feel safe as you did inside the womb.
5. Adronitis
If you’ve ever met a new person who you’d like to be good friends with, and felt frustrated when you realised that it will take some time to develop the friendship – you’ve experienced adronitis. In order to get close to someone it takes time to share experiences and information, so it’s not something that can be rushed.
6. Liberosis
When you wish you could be a kid again, without all the rules and responsibilities of adulthood. In general it means you wish you could stop caring so much about things.
7. Enouement
We spend so much time worrying about the future, and more often than not it turns out just fine. Enouement is wishing that you could go back to your past self and tell yourself that everything will work out well.
8. Jouska
This is when you imagine a conversation in your head where things work out well for you – such as winning an argument or asking for a promotion.
9. Exulansis
If you’ve ever tried to talk about something important with other people and you give up on it as they don’t seem to understand – you’ve experienced exulansis.
10. Fugue state
Generally reserved for people who have had too much alcohol or drugs, this related to being able to move and speak without being consciously aware that you are doing it. The person has no memory (a blackout) of the time.
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