In a fog

Origin

Imagine a world before GPS and advanced weather forecasts, where a sudden, thick fog could descend, trapping travelers, ships, or even entire towns in a shroud of impenetrable white. All landmarks vanished, directions blurred, and the simplest path became a terrifying maze of uncertainty. This very real and frightening experience of literal disorientation and obscured vision was naturally extended to the mind. To be 'in a fog' thus became the perfect metaphor for a state of mental confusion, a jumble of thoughts where clarity is lost, decisions are hazy, and one feels utterly adrift, just like a ship lost at sea or a traveler stranded on a moor when the mists roll in.