Noun. German for “gate-closing panic,” a word to characterize the fear of diminishing opportunities as one ages. This may include panicked sensations of time running out, one’s range of options are narrowing, particularly, that one’s life is passing by. While women racing the “biological clock” to wed and bear children is one example of torschlusspanik, the meaning applies to much wider range of life choices: are you on the right path? are you keeping up with your colleagues? are you too old to go back to school?
Mind the German expression: Torschlusspanik ist ein schlechter Ratgeber: “Torschlusspanik is a bad adviser.”
