In a book I am writing, a girl wants to have PTSD or abuse so her life is exciting. Like, she wants to live in a book or TV show trope. What is the word for wanting a little kink in a boring life to throw you off-course?
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2I'm not sure that you can call PTSD "a little kink in a boring life". There's a difference between wanting a little excitement and wanting major trauma. What point on that spectrum are you wanting this to be?– KillingTimeCommented Sep 22, 2023 at 15:01
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This overlaps with the broader sense of masochism. Surely nobody really wants to suffer; people do do unwise things to escape the humdrum ... and usually realise they've jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire.– Edwin AshworthCommented Sep 22, 2023 at 15:04
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If it's a propensity for high-speed or risky activities, it would be a need for adrenaline. Let's taste the spice of life!– GraffitoCommented Sep 22, 2023 at 15:19
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Sounds a bit like Munchausen's syndrome - a rare psychological and behavioural condition in which somebody fabricates or induces symptoms of illness in themselves. We're more likely to hear/read about Munchausen's syndrome by proxy, perhaps because the implications are more chilling. But Google Bard is unable to tell me which of MS and MSbP is more prevalent overall, because they're both often undiagnosed.– FumbleFingersCommented Sep 22, 2023 at 15:26
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Thrill seeking, risk taking behaviour.– Weather VaneCommented Sep 22, 2023 at 15:32
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1 Answer
While I agree with the commenters above that you might consider rephrasing the emotion a little more sensitively—"want[ing] to have PTSD or abuse" reads more like a psychological disorder than a character trait—I think a word that suits what you're looking for is ennui.
a. The feeling of mental weariness and dissatisfaction produced by want of occupation, or by lack of interest in present surroundings or employments.
See the 1758 quote in the definition above:
In less than a month, the man, used to business, found that living like a gentleman was dying of ennui.
