Other need to know correct word/term for not realizing how much danger I was in until later?

[Sunkist]

I had numerous bad experiences at previous location. There was one specifically that I'm hoping someone here might have input on because I'm unsure what the correct word or term would be:
There was an incident I basically brushed off as an individual's bad behavior- although it was also criminal behavior. Long after the incident, I learned about the individual's patterns and realized the incident could have been much worse, my life may have been in danger. I'm now occasionally pestered by the thought 'it could have been much worse,' I was just lucky to have gotten away. In other words, the full impact of how much danger I was actually in at the time.

Would anyone here know if there's a word/term to describe this?

 

[joeylittle]

Would anyone here know if there's a word/term to describe this?

Are you looking for a word or term to describe the realization you had about the incident -

Long after the incident, I learned about the individual's patterns and realized the incident could have been much worse, my life may have been in danger.

Or a word/term for being occasionally bothered by this realization -

I'm now occasionally pestered by the thought 'it could have been much worse,'

? Just asking for clarification.

 

[Sunkist]

a word/term for being occasionally bothered by this realization -

^ this.

 

[Weemie]

I'm now occasionally pestered by the thought 'it could have been much worse,' I was just lucky to have gotten away. In other words, the full impact of how much danger I was actually in at the time.

Colloquially speaking? I'd consider it "dodging a bullet" or "a close call."

 

[arfie]

hello sunkist. welcome to the forum.

several words for ^this^ come to mind from my own therapy sessions. "rumination" and "conjecture" are the two i think i will go with here. "rumination" is where i play the scenario over and over in my head, making small changes in each go-round which eventually add up to self-torture. "conjecture" is the results of these ruminations. all the things that shoulda, coulda, woulda happened if. . .