During Brexit, there was a lot of talk about how it divided our country. So we thought we would discuss how humans are divided and how Psychotherapy can ease some of the conflicts we have with ourselves and others. A personal ‘split’ can happen when we think or act in a way that doesn’t align with our beliefs.
In this quote, Freud describes how these splits can be repressed, by quoting Nietzsche’s phrase: –
“I did that’ says my memory; ‘I cannot have done that’, says my pride and refuses to yield. Finally – memory gives way.”
What Does it Mean to Have a Split?
Experiencing an emotional split isn’t always a bad thing. A split can be a way to manage feelings that can’t be properly managed at the time. So our mind represses it. However, the repression never goes away, and it will try and come out in some other way like displaced anger or depression.
An example of this is the conflicting feelings of love and hate for those we are close to. The feelings of anger and hurt towards a person are hard to express when we also feel love towards them, as we don’t want to hurt or lose them. Although we may not show certain emotions towards our loved ones, the feelings are still there and may come out in other ways through road rage to arguing with co-workers and even shouting at the TV.
When we feel these conflicts, it can be easy to dislike these parts of ourselves and push them aside. However, it’s important you work through these conflicts with therapy, as otherwise you may experience side effects that result in damaged relationships.
How Therapy Can Help
A therapist works with their client to uncover these conflicts in a safe, non-shaming and understanding environment. The client should feel they can honestly express themselves to their therapist which, in turn, will reduce the negative effects on their own life,
During therapy, a therapist will explore these conflicts without judgement. It is through this work a therapist can understand the emotions and whether they have been enabled by well-meaning friends and family.
As Carl Jung said:
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy is a collective of experienced psychotherapists, psychologists and counsellors working with a range of client groups, including fellow therapists and health professionals. If you would like more information, or an informal discussion please get in touch. Online therapy is available.
I really liked the way you broke down the importance and need to split in order to contain the unbearable feelings of shame, envy and rage. In Brexit, it represents a collective response to spilt off anger in the society where feelings have been repressed that is now projected into the other. It seems to be an attack on thinking manifest in the muddle and confusion in finding a solution.