I knew of the issue overall but wasn’t aware of the psychological concept capturing it: ‘concept creep’.
“Concepts that refer to the negative aspects of human experience and behavior have expanded their meanings so that they now encompass a much broader range of phenomena than before. […] The concepts of abuse, bullying, trauma, mental disorder, addiction, and prejudice are examined to illustrate these historical changes. In each case, the concept’s boundary has stretched and its meaning has dilated […] [T]he expansion primarily reflects an ever-increasing sensitivity to harm, reflecting a liberal moral agenda. […] Although conceptual change is inevitable and often well motivated, concept creep runs the risk of pathologizing everyday experience and encouraging a sense of virtuous but impotent victimhood.”
