Deprivation is a state similar in characteristics to frustration. Occurs when there is a long-term impossibility or limitation of satisfying the needs that are relevant to the individual. The state of deprivation refers to psychotraumatic situations. It can create irreversible mental changes. Deprivation differs in forms, types, manifestations and consequences.
What is deprivation
Deprivation is often hidden or not realized by a person, it is masked. Outwardly, a person and the conditions of his life may look prosperous, but at the same time, a conflict rages inside the person and discomfort is felt. Long-term deprivation creates chronic stress. The result is prolonged stress.
Deprivation is similar to frustration, but there are 2 main differences between them:
- deprivation is not as noticeable to the individual as frustration;
- deprivation occurs with prolonged and complete deprivation, frustration is a reaction to a specific failure, an unsatisfied need.
For example, if a child’s favorite toy is taken away but given another, he will experience frustration. And if you completely forbid playing, then this is deprivation.
Most often we are talking about psychological deprivation, for example, when deprived of love, attention, care, and social contacts. Although biological deprivation also occurs. It can be threatening to the physical and mental development of the individual (its self-actualization, self-esteem) and non-threatening. The latter is more like frustration. For example, if a child is not bought ice cream, he will experience non-threatening deprivation, but if he systematically goes hungry, he will experience threatening deprivation. But if the same ice cream is a symbol of something for a child, for example, parental love, and he suddenly does not receive it, then this will cause serious personality changes.
The appearance and severity of deprivation largely depend on the individual personality characteristics of a person. For example, two people may perceive and endure social isolation differently, depending on the value of society for each and the severity of the need for social contacts. Thus, deprivation is a subjective state that is not repeated in the same way in different people.
Types of deprivation
Deprivation is considered and classified according to needs. It is customary to distinguish the following types:
- Sensory deprivation. Implies such conditions of development of a child or life situations of an adult in which the environment has a limited or extremely variable set of external stimuli (sounds, light, smells, and so on).
- Cognitive deprivation. The environment has excessively variable or chaotic external conditions. The individual does not have time to assimilate them, which means he cannot predict events. Due to the lack, variability and inadequacy of incoming information, a person develops an erroneous idea of the outside world. The understanding of connections between things is disrupted. A person builds false relationships and has erroneous ideas about causes and effects.
- Emotional deprivation. It involves a rupture of emotional interpersonal connection or intimate-personal communication or the inability to establish close social relationships. In childhood, this type of deprivation is identified with maternal deprivation, which means the woman’s coldness in her relationship with the child. This is dangerous for mental disorders.
- Social deprivation, or identity deprivation. We are talking about limited conditions for mastering a role, passing through an identity. For example, pensioners, prisoners, and students of closed schools are subject to social deprivation.
- In addition, there are motor deprivation (for example, bed rest due to injury), educational, economic, ethical and other options.
This is a theory. In practice, one type of deprivation can transform into another; several types can manifest themselves simultaneously; one type can arise as a consequence of the previous one.
My recommendations
It so happened that I lived in an unfamiliar city for almost 2 years. All my friends and relatives remained elsewhere. There were no friends or acquaintances here. I spent almost all my time on my own. Such a social deprivation.
I can only say one thing - you can get rid of it if you completely immerse yourself in some interesting activity and make new acquaintances. Reading and self-development helped me. I read books about how you can change your life for the better, and fiction. As soon as I got used to the new conditions and coped with the symptoms of deprivation, I began to meet new people. And it so happened that I still communicate with some of them.
Deprivations and their consequences
Sensory deprivation
One of the most studied forms. For example, changes in the consciousness of pilots on long flights have long been confirmed. The monotony of days and loneliness are depressing.
Perhaps the most films have been made about sensory deprivation. For some reason, the story of a man surviving alone on an island is very beloved by screenwriters. For example, remember the film Cast Away with Tom Hanks in the title role. The picture very accurately conveys the psychological changes of a person left for a long period alone and in limited conditions. One ball friend is worth something.
A simpler example: every person knows how monotonous and identical work depresses. The same “Groundhog Day” that many people like to talk about.
The main consequences of sensory deprivation include:
- a change in the direction of thinking and a decrease in the ability to concentrate;
- escape into dreams and fantasies;
- loss of sense of time, impaired orientation in time;
- illusions, deceptions of perception, hallucinations (in this case, this is a variant of a defense mechanism that helps maintain mental balance);
- nervous restlessness, excessive agitation and physical activity;
- somatic changes (often headaches, muscle aches, spots in the eyes);
- delusions and paranoia;
- anxiety and fears;
- other personality changes.
In general, two groups of reactions can be identified: increased excitability against a background of general depression, that is, an acute reaction to situations (under normal conditions the same events did not cause such a violent reaction) and a decrease in craving for previously interesting things, an overly calm and apathetic reaction. A third reaction option is possible - a change in taste preferences and emotional relationships to the opposite (one gets irritated by what one liked).
This applies to changes in the emotional sphere, but disturbances due to deprivation also affect the cognitive sphere:
- Deterioration and disorders in the area of verbal-logical thinking, indirect memorization, voluntary attention and speech.
- Disturbances in perceptual processes. For example, a person may lose the ability to see in three dimensions. He may feel like the walls are moving or narrowing. A person mistakenly perceives colors, shapes, sizes.
- Increased suggestibility.
As we understand, sensory hunger can easily arise in everyday life. Very often it is sensory hunger that is confused with ordinary hunger; the lack of impressions is compensated by food. Overeating and obesity are another consequence of sensory deprivation.
Not all changes are strictly negative. For example, an increased active imagination encourages creativity, which is useful in finding ways out of a difficult situation. Let's remember the same films about survivors on a desert island. And in principle, any outlet for awakened creativity will reduce the risk of mental disorders.
For extroverts, due to their innate need for external stimuli, sensory deprivation will cause greater disturbances than for introverts. Also, people with a stable type of psyche will more easily survive this type of deprivation. People with hysterical and demonstrative accentuations will find it more difficult to survive sensory deprivation.
Knowledge of the individual personal characteristics of people and assumptions about their reaction to sensory deprivation is important for professional selection. Thus, working in expeditions or flight conditions, that is, sensory deprivation, is not suitable for everyone.
Motor deprivation
With prolonged limitation in movement (from 15 days to 4 months) the following is observed:
- hypochondria;
- depression;
- unreasonable fears;
- unstable emotional states.
Cognitive changes also occur: attention decreases, speech slows down and is disrupted, and memorization becomes difficult. A person becomes lazy and avoids mental activity.
Cognitive deprivation
Lack of information, its chaos and disorder cause:
- boredom;
- inadequate ideas of the individual about the world and his possibilities of life in it;
- erroneous conclusions about world events and people around them;
- inability to act productively.
Ignorance (information hunger) awakens fears and anxieties, thoughts about incredible and unpleasant developments in the future or the inaccessible present. There are signs of depression and sleep disturbances, loss of vigilance, decreased performance, and deterioration of attention. It’s not for nothing that they say that there is nothing worse than ignorance.
Emotional deprivation
Recognizing emotional deprivation is more difficult than others. At a minimum, because it can manifest itself in different ways: someone experiences fears, suffers from depression, withdraws into himself; others compensate by being overly sociable and having superficial relationships.
The consequences of emotional deprivation are especially acute in childhood. There is a delay in cognitive, emotional and social development. In adulthood, the emotional sphere of communication (handshakes, hugs, smiles, approval, admiration, praise, compliments, etc.) is needed for psychological health and balance.
Social deprivation
We are talking about the complete isolation of an individual or group of people from society. There are several options for social deprivation:
- Forced isolation. Neither the individual (or group of people) nor society wanted or expected this isolation. It depends only on objective conditions. Example: plane or ship crash.
- Forced isolation. The initiator is society. Example: prisons, army, orphanages, military camps.
- Voluntary isolation. The initiator is an individual or a group of people. Example: hermits.
- Voluntary-forced isolation. The individual himself limits social contacts in order to achieve his goal. Example: school for gifted children, Suvorov Military School.
The consequences of social deprivation largely depend on age. In adults, the following consequences are observed:
- anxiety;
- fear;
- depression;
- psychoses;
- feeling like an outsider;
- emotional stress;
- euphoria, similar to the effect of taking drugs.
In general, the effects of social deprivation are similar to those of sensory deprivation. However, the consequences of social deprivation in a group (a person gradually gets used to the same people) are somewhat different:
- irritability;
- incontinence;
- fatigue, inadequate assessment of events;
- withdrawal;
- conflicts;
- neuroses;
- depression and suicide.
At the cognitive level, with social deprivation, memory deterioration, speech slowdown and disturbances, loss of civilized habits (manners, norms of behavior, tastes), and deterioration of abstract thinking are noted.
Social deprivation is experienced by outcasts and hermits, mothers on maternity leave, old people who have just retired, and an employee on long-term sick leave. The consequences of social deprivation are individual, as is the period of their persistence after a person returns to normal living conditions.
Existential deprivation
Associated with the need to find oneself and one’s place in the world, to know the meaning of life, to understand issues of death, and so on. Accordingly, existential deprivation differs by age:
- In adolescence, existential deprivation occurs in a situation where the environment does not allow the teenager to realize the need for adulthood.
- Youth is determined by finding a profession and starting a family. Loneliness and social isolation are the causes of existential deprivation in this case.
- At 30 years old, it is important that life corresponds to the internal plans and motives of the individual.
- At the age of 40, a person evaluates the correctness of his life, self-realization, and the fulfillment of personal purpose.
Existential deprivation can occur regardless of age, due to personal reasons:
- change in social status (positive or negative);
- destruction of meanings, inability to achieve goals;
- rapid change in living conditions (longing for the old order);
- melancholy due to the gray monotony of life (excessive stability);
- a feeling of loss and sadness when achieving such a desired goal after a long and difficult journey (and what to do next, how to live without a dream).
Educational deprivation
We are talking not only about complete pedagogical neglect, but also about learning conditions that do not correspond to the individual and personal characteristics of the child, the impossibility of full disclosure of potential and self-realization. As a result, motivation to learn is lost, interest drops, and there is a reluctance to attend classes. An aversion to learning activities in the broad sense of the word is formed.
Within the framework of educational deprivation, we can distinguish emotional (ignoring the needs and characteristics of the child, suppression of individuality) and cognitive (formal presentation of knowledge).
Educational deprivation often turns into cultural deprivation or serves as its prerequisite. Cultural deprivation starts in the home where education is not valued.
Definition
The word came to us from the Latin language. Deprivation is translated as “loss”, “deprivation”. This is what happens: a person loses the opportunity to satisfy his psychophysiological needs and experiences negative emotions. It could be resentment, anxiety, fear and much more. And, in order not to get confused in definitions, it was decided to reduce this state of loss into a single whole. This is how the concept of deprivation arose, which covers all possible emotions. The essence of deprivation is the lack of contact between desired responses and the stimuli that reinforce them.
Deprivation can plunge a person into a state of severe internal emptiness, from which it is difficult to find a way out. The taste for life disappears, and the person begins to simply exist. He does not enjoy food, his favorite activities, or socializing with friends. Deprivation increases the level of anxiety; a person becomes afraid to try new behavior patterns, trying to maintain a stable state in which he is comfortable. He falls into a trap of his own mind, from which sometimes only a psychologist can help. Even the strongest personality sometimes “breaks” under the influence of a particular situation.
Many people confuse deprivation with frustration. After all, these states definitely have something in common. But these are still different concepts. Frustration refers to the failure to achieve satisfaction of a certain need. That is, a person understands where negative emotions come from. And the phenomenon of deprivation is that it may not be realized, and sometimes people live for years and do not understand what is eating them. And this is the worst thing, because the psychologist does not understand what to treat.
Deprivation in the modern world
Deprivation can be obvious or hidden. With the first form, everything is simple: physical separation, confinement in a cell, and so on. An example of hidden deprivation is isolation in a crowd (loneliness in a crowd) or emotional coldness in a relationship (marriage for children).
In the modern world, no one is immune from deprivation. One or another of its forms and types can be provoked by economic and social instability of society, information war or information control. Deprivation makes itself felt the more strongly the more a person’s expectations (level of aspirations) diverge from reality.
Unemployment, poverty (largely a subjective indicator), urbanization can have a negative impact on the psyche of people. Very often, the onset of deprivation and a state of frustration are compensated by a defense mechanism - an escape from reality. That’s why virtual reality, alcohol, and computers are so popular.
Learned helplessness is another disease of modern society. It also has its roots in deprivation. People are passive and in many ways infantile, but for some this is the only option to maintain balance in an unstable environment or limited opportunities. Pessimism is another reaction to long-term deprivation.
Overcoming deprivation
Deprivation can be overcome in different ways: destructive and constructive, social and asocial. For example, it is popular to become involved in religion, a passion for esotericism and psychology, and mastering self-regulation and relaxation techniques. No less popular is going into the world of the Internet and fantasies, books, films.
With a conscious and professional approach, correction of deprivation involves a detailed study of a particular case and the creation of anti-deprivation conditions. That is, for example, with sensory deprivation, the environment is saturated with events and impressions. With cognitive – searching for information, assimilating it, correcting existing images and stereotypes. Emotional deprivation is eliminated by establishing communication with people and building relationships.
Working with deprivations requires a strictly individual psychotherapeutic approach. What is important is the period of deprivation, the individual personal characteristics of a person, his age, the type of deprivation and form, and external conditions. The consequences of some deprivations are easier to correct, while others take a lot of time to correct, or the irreversibility of mental changes is stated.
Help
Not every deprivation syndrome requires the intervention of psychologists. Often a person can cope with this condition on their own or with the help of family and friends. There are plenty of examples. To get out of social deprivation, it is enough to sign up for dancing or another hobby group. The problem of lack of intellectual resources is solved by connecting to unlimited Internet. The deficit of tactile contacts disappears after the establishment of a love relationship. But, of course, more severe cases require a serious approach, and it is no longer possible to do without global assistance (sometimes at the state level).
Rehabilitation centers help cope with the consequences of childhood social deprivation, where the child receives not only attention and care, but also communication with peers. Of course, this only partially covers the problem, but it is important to make a start. The same applies to organizing free concerts or tea parties for retirees who also need communication.
Psychology also fights deprivation in other ways. For example, compensation and self-realization in other activities. Thus, people with disabilities often begin to engage in some kind of sport and participate in Paralympic competitions. Some people who have lost their arms discover a talent for drawing with their feet. But this applies to sensory deprivation. Severe emotional deprivation is difficult to compensate for. The help of a psychotherapist is needed.
Afterword
By the way, the phenomenon of deprivation is closer than we think, and it has not only a negative side. Its skillful use helps to know oneself and achieve a state of altered consciousness. Remember the techniques of yoga, relaxation, meditation: close your eyes, don’t move, listen to music. All these are elements of deprivation. In small and controlled doses, when used skillfully, deprivation can improve the psychophysiological state.
This feature is used in some psychotechnics. With the help of perception management (can only be done under the supervision of a psychotherapist), new horizons become available to the individual: creative abilities, previously unknown resources, increased adaptive abilities.
