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Glossary

Ontological Insecurity Definition

Ontological insecurity is a chronic loss of the basic, pre-reflective trust that makes reality feel stable: the self doubts its own existence, other people appear as menacing or hollow, and the world loses its taken-for-granted solidity. The term was introduced by psychiatrist R.D. Laing i

By Philosopheasy Published on August 24, 2026

Ontological insecurity is a chronic loss of the basic, pre-reflective trust that makes reality feel stable: the self doubts its own existence, other people appear as menacing or hollow, and the world loses its taken-for-granted solidity. The term was introduced by psychiatrist R.D. Laing in The Divided Self (1960).

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