To say "the noise outside shook her from her reverie" implies she was lost in pleasant daydreams.
What if she was lost in worry or unpleasant thoughts? Is there an equivalent term (single word or short phrase)?
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2It's often called a dark study in literature. One may be lost in reverie or lost in a dark study. Note that reverie is a mass noun, while the phrase a dark study is an indefinite count nounand requires an indefinite article. Even though study can often be used as a mass noun, even with lost: He was lost in study/his studies. Of course, in that case it refers to actual studying, not unpleasant thought.– John LawlerCommented Jul 29, 2014 at 17:22
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1The expression 'Black Dog' has been used to describe various forms of depression. Churchill used to talk of being overcome with the 'Black Dog'. Try looking at some of Shakespeare's dark sonnets, or plays such as Macbeth. I feel sure you will find something there.– WS2Commented Jul 29, 2014 at 17:39
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10 Answers
In psychology, what you are describing would be called rumination. It is where a depressed person gets caught up in their depressed thoughts. To quote the Wikipedia article:
Rumination is defined as the compulsively focused attention on the symptoms of one's distress, and on its possible causes and consequences, as opposed to its solutions.
The part about it being "compulsive" refers to the part about getting stuck.
When I wish to increase my unhappiness, I brood on things. Oxford dictionary:
Think deeply about something that makes one unhappy
answered Jul 29, 2014 at 20:34
You might have a look at dysphoria.
dysphoria n. a state of dissatisfaction, anxiety, restlessness, or fidgeting.
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Dysphoria seems to refer to a general or subconscious state of being, whereas reverie/rumination refer more to one who is actively thinking on pleasant/unpleasant (respectively) matters. It's likely that one who ruminates excessively could be considered to be experiencing dysphoria, but one who is experiencing dysphoria may not necessarily be ruminating at any given moment.– Doktor JCommented Jul 30, 2014 at 19:01
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@Did: I don't see where the OP made any specific request regarding active vs. unprompted thoughts. As it is, you seem to be judging this response by the "standard" of rumination, an opinion I don't share.– RobustoCommented Aug 5, 2014 at 21:39
"Reverie" is usually used for a pleasant state, but it is essentially neutral. The OED quotes this from Washington Irving:
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 145 Walking about in a sad reverie,..unconscious of the world around her.
I've usually used "in a funk", though now Wiktionary is telling me that that specifically means "to be in a depressed mood" rather than "being caught up or preoccupied with dark thoughts", which is how I've always meant it.
It also tells me it's shortened from "in a blue funk", which I didn't know, but has a nice consonance with @Malvolio's "in a brown study".
answered Jul 29, 2014 at 17:48
I have always liked brown study. It means exactly what you want, but Wiktionary denounces it as "dated".
Time to revive it!
answered Jul 29, 2014 at 17:21
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Brown study is an alternative to dark. But note it's also a count noun phrase. Commented Jul 29, 2014 at 17:23
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1I had never heard the expression "dark study". Wiktionary doesn't have it, and Google returns only 22K hits, mostly about ill-lit rooms and scientific studies of darkness. Commented Jul 29, 2014 at 17:29
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1I (college educated native US English speaker) have no idea what a "brown study" or "dark study" is other than a room in a large house. I would be totally confused by its use in this context.– Old ProCommented Jul 30, 2014 at 19:32
I would use angst.
It implies a partial loss of control over one’s mood, as does reverie, with the opposite mood indicated.
Doldrums
- dictionary.com: a dull, listless, depressed mood; low spirits.
- thefreedictionary.com: A period of depression or unhappy listlessness; a depressed or bored state of mind.
- Merriam-Webster: a spell of listlessness or despondency.
However, Wiktionary omits the depression/despondency aspect and says just “the state of boredom, malaise, apathy or lack of interest; a state of listlessness; ennui, or tedium”.
answered Jul 29, 2014 at 18:27
Melancholy - Having a feeling of melancholy; sad and pensive.
"the noise outside shook her from her melancholy"
Though it can be a little awkward depending on the context, daymare is the closest word I know to what you are asking. It means literally "bad daydream."
