CD - Repression Vs. Dissociation

Dissociation VS. Repression

Community Dentistry 2 - Group 8

GROUP MEMBERS

Index

1.

Introduction

2.

Types of Defense Mechanism

3.

Repression

4.

Dissociation

5.

Comparison

6.

Conclusion

7.

References

Introduction

Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological responses that shield individuals from anxious sensations, challenges to their self-esteem, painful feelings, and things they don't want to think about or deal with (Cramer, 2015).

Importance of understanding defense mechanisms:

• They are often utilized to cope with anxiety and avoid unwanted thoughts.
• They can have a negative impact on people's behaviour and relationships.
• It helps us better understand people's actions.

Types of Defense Mechanisms

Can be:- mature which can lead to healthy emotional regulation or immature which have a negative impact and lead to serious problems

Immature

Mature

Humor

Denial

Suppression

Repression

Compensation

Dissociation

Anticipation

Projection

Psychologic Defense Mechanism

REPRESSION

Definition

• According to the psychoanalytic theory, Repression is the process of erasing upsetting memories, ideas, or emotions from conscious awareness.

• These experiences frequently involve violent as well as traumatic experiences from early life.

• In Repression, there is a retrieval of record but due to the memory being unwanted and traumatic, it is blocked from consiousness.

• Repressed memories are described as blocked memories.

Background

History

• The theory of memory repression was first explored when many cases were reported where the patient did not recall a certain event well or at all due to emotional trauma.
• Sigmund Freud was the first scientist to develop the concept of repression as part of his psychoanalytic theory.
• The work of physician-hypnotists like Jean-Martin Charcot regarding the ability of traumatic experiences to trigger defense mechanisms also contributed to the theory of repression.

Impact

• Whether repression poses a danger to oneself or the community depends on the severity of the repression episodes and their impact on an individual’s functioning.
• In mild cases, repression may not pose an immediate danger.
• However, in severe cases, repression can lead to impairment in daily functioning, potentially causing accidents or self-harm if not managed appropriately.

Examples

There are many examples of repression in literature, psychology, and everyday life.

• In cases of abuse, such as child who is abused by a parents later has no recall of the event , but has trouble forming relationships due to it.

• In Cases of phobias, for example a man has phobia of snake but cannot remember the first time he was afraid of them.

• In a study of survivors of war trauma, researchers found that many of the survivors repressed memories of the traumatic events they had experienced.

Population

Gender Differences

• Some studies have found that women are more likely to repress than men.

• On the other hand, others have found no difference between the genders.

• It is possible that the gender differences that have been found are due to cultural factors, such as the way that men and women are socialized to express emotions.

Population

Prevalence

A study conducted in the U.k stated that 69.6% of clinical psychologists strongly endorsed the belief that “the mind is capable of unconsciously ‘blocking out’ memories of traumatic events” (p. 60). Wessel (2018)

Danger on Individuals

• Cote(2005) found that Repeated repression causes stress to individuals coping with it.

• This emphasizes that repressed individuals suffer from psychological strain and emotional distress which negatively impacts their mental health.

Danger on Society

• Repressed individuals suffer from psychological strain and emotional distress which negatively impacts their mental health.

• Larsen et al. (2012) highlighted a positive association between repression and depressive symptoms in adults and adolescents

Physical

Psychological

• Pain and fatigue for no reason.

• Physical pain - at the sight of what caused the trauma.

• Constipation - from holding the memory in.

• Neck aches - from feeling the weight of the repressed memory.

(Fielding, 2020)

• Anxiety, fear or depression.

• Sleep issues - e.g. nightmares, insomnia.

• Low self-esteem.

• Difficulty with concentration.

• Nervousness.

• Feeling numb.

• Becoming annoyed or stressed when when asked about their feelings.

• Disproportionate emotions.

Psychological & Physical

Signs and Symptoms

Treatment

Mental health workers such as social workers and therapists play an essential role in directing the various theraputic approches as well as aiding people dealing with repression.

It focuses on adressing peoples negative behavioral and thought patterns and changing them. Therapists focus on identifying and replacing the repressive tendencies.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

It focuses on exploring the unconsious mind in order to release the repressed emotions. Therapists work with patients to faciliate emotional release.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Bases on Freud’s theories

Developed by Aaron T. Beck

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT)

It focuses on identifying and regulating emotions specifcally in relationships. Therapists help individuals and couples communicate better by understanding their emotions.

Formulated by Sue Johnson & Les Greenberg

CBT TRIANGLE

Psychologic Defense Mechanism

DISSOCIATION

Definition

• Dissociation is the process of detaching oneself from reality and as a result, disconnecting from their thoughts, feelings, memories or actions etc.

• It is considered a dissociative disorder if the dissociation is persistent, repeated and affects daily life.

• This often happens due to traumatic experiences.

• It helps the person mentally escape from the emotions related to a horrific event and tolerate otherwise difficult situations.

• There are 3 types: dissociative identity disorder, dissociative amnesia, depersonalization/derealization disorder

Background

History

• Dissociative disorder was previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) and it has been documented as early as the 18th century.

• Psychologists and psychiastrists such as Sigmund Freud, Pierre Janet, and William James can be attributed for documenting dissociative symptoms in great detail for over two centuries.

• Pierre Janet's work established the basis for recognizing and studying dissociation and he described a variety of symptoms, such as amnesia, identity fragmentation, and the presence of multiple "alters" or personality states within a single person.

Impact

• Dissociation is a normal psychological defense mechanism that can be helpful in some circumstances.

• However, when it persists for an extended period of time or gets severe, it can become a problem.

• Persistent use of dissociation often hinders with the person's ability to identify signs of danger and as a result, they pose a danger to themselves.

• Individuals with dissociative disorders pose a danger to themselevs and the community as they can be unaware of their actions while dissociated

EXAMPLES

This example highlights a previous experience of trauma which is commonly associated with dissociative depression.

• Sarah, a survivor of a car accident, experiences dissociation when she recalls the traumatic event.

• As she recounts the accident to her therapist, she describes feeling like an observer rather than a participant in the scene.

• She mentions how she could see the accident happening from an outside perspective, almost as if she were watching a movie of the event.

• Sarah also notes that she couldn't feel any emotions during the recall, and her voice becomes detached from the memories.

Population

Males Vs. Females

• Females, on the other hand, may be more prone to internalized reactions, like feeling numb, anxious, or detached.

• They might be more willing to discuss their feelings and seek help.

• Males might be more likely to react with externalized behaviors, such as anger or aggression, when they dissociate.

• They might also have trouble talking about their feelings and experiences.

Danger on Individuals

over 70% of people with DID have attempted suicide.

Individuals with dissociative identity disorder (DID) display suicidal behaviour.

Danger on Society

A study following 21 reported DID cases found that 47% of men and 35% of women reported engaging in criminal activity.

Individuals can commit crimes while in a dissociative state.

Sign and Symptoms

Sudden + unexpected shifts in mood

Emotional numbness

Feeling disconnected from yourself

Anxiety and Stress

Amnesia of certain periods, people, events

Derealization

Problems with handling intesne emotions

Depression

Treatment

Treating dissociative disorders varies from person to person and depending on the type of disorder the person may have.

It involves talking about the disorder and process traumatic events from the past. Talking with an experienced therapist helps the patient understand why they dissociate.

There are no medications that can directly treat it. However, doctors can prescribe drugs to help the patient cope with the mental health symptoms of dissociation.

Talk Therapy/ Psychotherapy

Medicine

invented by Sigmund Freud

Such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety and antipsychotic medicines.

Repression Vs. Dissociation

Memory records can be retreived, but are pushed into the unconscious mind.

Memory records cannot be retreived.

The person becomes detached from their own thoughts, emotions and identity through a conscious or unconscious process.

Both are involuntary psychologic defense mechanisms

The person doesn't have conscious acces to repressed memories but they can resurface.

Mechanism involves distancing and detaching oneself from traumatic experiences.

Mechanism involves blocking out a certain memory or emotion

Conclusion

• Both Repression and Dissociation are types of immature mechanical defense mechanisms.

.

• Traumatic events, whether due to abuse, the accidents, or other of the distressing experiences, can trigger both repression and dissociation.

• The main distinction between them is the way they are executed.

• Recognizing the signs and symptoms of each is crucial, as it facilitates the early intervention and appropriate treatment and allows us to better understand individulas with these conditions.

• Treatment options may include therapy, such as the psychotherapy, to help the individuals address and manage these defense mechanisms effectively.

• Raising awareness about repression and the dissociation not only aids individuals in their personal journeys but also benefits society as the whole.

References

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