the.com/preoccupation
The mind's way of attending a meeting it never RSVP'd to.
means A state of being so absorbed by one thought or worry that it crowds out attention to everything else.
from From Latin prae- ('before') plus occupare ('to seize, take possession of') — the same root that gives us 'occupy.' So preoccupation is literally a 'pre-seizing': something has already taken hold of your mind before you even get a say in the matter.
- latin root
- occupare, to seize beforehand
- not worry
- worry has a topic, this just loiters
- psych term
- attention captured despite zero effort to focus
- side effect
- you nod in conversations you are not having