Experiencing severe emotional or mental pain, often involving a combination of grief, anxiety, and despair. Describes deep suffering that affects both mind and body.
From Old French 'angoisse' (distress), from Latin 'angustia' (narrowness, difficulty), related to 'angere' (to choke, strangle). The word literally suggests being constricted or squeezed, reflecting how emotional pain can feel physically suffocating.
The etymology of 'anguished' reveals an ancient understanding of how emotional pain manifests physically - anguish literally activates the same pain pathways as physical injury and can cause actual chest tightness and breathing difficulties!
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