Definition

Noun: 1. An unconscious desire for one's own death: In psychoanalytic theory, a "death wish" is an unconscious impulse or drive, often stemming from feelings of guilt, self-destruction, or a desire to escape psychic pain, that seeks the cessation of life. 2. A conscious or reckless disregard for personal safety: In common usage, a "death wish" describes behavior that is so dangerous, risky, or self-destructive that it seems the person is not concerned with whether they live or die.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Psychoanalytic):
  • The therapist suggested that his pattern of extreme self-sabotage might stem from a deep-seated death wish.
  • Freud's concept of Thanatos, the death drive, is closely related to the idea of a death wish.
• Noun (Common Usage):
  • Riding a motorcycle that fast without a helmet is a death wish.
  • Challenging the mob boss like that was practically a death wish.

Advanced Usage

• "To have a death wish": This is the most common idiomatic phrase used to accuse someone of behaving with reckless disregard for their life.
  • You're going skiing in an avalanche zone? Do you have a death wish?

Variants and Related Words

• Death instinct (n.): A synonym used in psychoanalysis, introduced by Sigmund Freud, referring to the unconscious drive toward decay, destruction, and a return to an inorganic state.
• Self-destructive (adj.): Describing behavior that is harmful to oneself.
• Suicidal ideation (n.): A clinical term for thoughts about, considering, or planning suicide. (Note: This is a conscious clinical state, whereas a psychoanalytic "death wish" is typically unconscious).

Synonyms

• Self-destructive impulse
• Death drive (specifically in psychoanalysis)
• Recklessness (in the context of common usage)

Related Idioms

• "Tempting fate": To act in a way that recklessly challenges or ignores danger. This is a milder, more common idiom for similar reckless behavior.
  • Not backing up your computer is just tempting fate.

Noun

1. (psychoanalysis) an unconscious urge to die