Sublimation - what is it in psychology in simple words

Sublimation is a defense mechanism of the psyche. It differs from other unconscious mechanisms in that it helps rather than hinders the development and growth of the individual. Sublimation helps transform destructive energy into positive energy. If you bring this mechanism to the level of awareness and learn to manage your energy, then any negative can be turned into a useful resource. Let's look at the mechanism of sublimation and find out what it is in psychology, give a definition and reveal the meaning of this concept in simple words.

What is sublimation

What is sublimation in psychology, what does this word mean in simple language? This means a process during which significant negative feelings, emotions and experiences, destructive and antisocial tendencies are transformed into a positive direction. Sublimation protects a person from feelings of shame and guilt, public condemnation and self-reproach, and internal conflict. A person does not suppress his desires and feelings, but allows them to come out in a socially acceptable way. And this is a definite plus, because suppression sooner or later leads to a breakdown, an uncontrolled release of what has been locked in a “cage” for many years.

Important! At first, sublimation in psychology was understood as the transformation of sexual energy into creativity, then any replacement of energies began to be called this.

Examples from life

Sasha feels resentment towards his colleagues who dumped all the work on him on Friday evening and went home. Instead of showing aggression, the next day he goes to the stadium and runs 10 kilometers.

Lisa loves Lesha, but instead of flirting with him, she enthusiastically paints pictures in the evenings, sighing heavily for her lover.

Lyosha also loves Lisa and therefore plays online games for days, directing his unspent sexual energy to the excitement of conquering the next kingdom.

Now you know what helps wet towels dry in winter, how freeze-drying is related to instant coffee, and why lovers carry a notebook with poems with them. This is all multifaceted sublimation.

Origin of the term

The concept comes from physics. There, sublimation means the method of sublimation: the transition of a substance from a solid state to a gaseous state, bypassing melting.

The literal meaning of the term “sublimation” is “to elevate”, “to spiritualize”. Initially, the word was used to define a person’s spiritual growth. The Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud was the first to use the concept of “sublimation” and give it a definition (1900). However, its essence has remained almost unchanged.

Sublimation in Freud's psychology and philosophy is the process of processing base feelings, passions and desires into socially approved and moral actions. Most often we are talking about such animal impulses as aggression, thirst for power (desire to dominate) and sex, and the like.

For example, in the animal world it is customary to sort things out in a fight, but people have to restrain such impulses and solve problems with the help of words. However, aggression does not go away; sublimation helps to get rid of it: instead of hitting the boss, the subordinate goes to the gym and hits a punching bag.

Remember! The word “sublimation” is derived from the Latin sub and limo, which means “under” and “to carry”, that is, “to bring”, “to replace”. In simple words, sublimation is the replacement of one thing with another.

How to transform aggression?

Violation of the instinct of aggression leads to self-destruction, thanks to which a person maintains his life. Aggression cannot be “stored” into yourself; you must definitely find ways to “discharge”. Here are some of them:

Sublimation of aggression using psychoanalytic methods.
Transferring emotional experiences to inanimate objects.
Playing sports. The best option is sports where there is a competitive aspect.
Engaging in creative activities.

The word "sublimation" is used in many sciences. Sublimation is transformation, transformation. In a broad sense, it means a transition from one state to another. However, this term is most often used in psychology, where it is considered as an option for psychological defense. Sublimation helps a person transform aggression and sexual impulses into socially acceptable forms of energy. Thanks to this, a person can live a harmonious life and achieve high results.

How does sublimation work?

The mechanism of sublimation is simple:

I want such and such an object;
due to certain reasons (internal or external) I cannot take it;
but in front of me there is this, similar to that, but accessible;
Well, I'll take it.

Sublimation helps resolve the contradiction between “I want” and “I can.” Often this saves a person not only from internal conflict and possible neuroses, but also from antisocial or illegal actions.

Impact on lifestyle

Sublimation, being a healthy defense mechanism for both the person himself and the society that surrounds him, allows each individual to be effective, work productively and cope with the destructive impulses that arise in him.

Sublimation allows you to avoid internal conflicts caused by the inability to satisfy your needs, so the phenomenon reduces the risk of mental illness.

A person who is able to use sublimation correctly is considered a mature person, effectively benefiting both himself and others.

Sublimation also allows you to avoid conflicts in real life, for example, the ability to project internal destructive impulses onto what is happening in a work of art allows you to reduce the desire to implement them in reality. Therefore, the process of sublimation reduces the likelihood of committing violent acts or crimes towards others.

Sublimation according to Freud

His research was based on the story of a boy who was distinguished by sadistic tendencies, namely, he abused dogs. Later, he managed to channel this in a positive direction, benefiting himself and others: he became a surgeon.

Freud considered the mechanism of sublimation through the components of personality:

The id is the unconscious level where all human desires are collected, prompted by a craving for primitive pleasures. Most often they are condemned by society.
Ego is the level at which, with the help of control and awareness, a person restrains the impulses of the Id level.
The super-ego is the conscience, if you like. This is the level at which all the norms and morals of society, values and beliefs of a person are gathered. These are “must” and “must”, “can” and “can’t”, which the subject has learned from society and parents.

The contradiction between the levels of Id and Super-Ego causes anxiety at the Ego level. It is this that turns to sublimation in order to reconcile the other two elements. Sublimation according to Freud and Varlamova (a modern pedagogical psychologist, a follower of Freud) reconciles the animal and social parts in a person. Freud believed that all civilized society is the result of sublimation.

Interesting! Freud himself said to himself that his productive scientific activity was the result of sublimation. He voluntarily gave up sex, believing that it was only appropriate for procreation. He directed all his accumulated energy into science and received satisfaction from his achievements.

Protection rules

Before you familiarize yourself with the rules of sublimation, you need to know that in many cases the phenomenon occurs on a subconscious level and is not controlled by a person. Therefore, it is very important to discover this ability in yourself and understand your true motives and the reasons for possible frustration.

Rules for effective sublimation:

You must try to live every event in your life and not suppress the emotions that arise when appropriate.
To focus on any task or goal, you need to get rid of external stimuli and be alone with yourself.
It is necessary to develop imagination and the ability to think creatively. To do this, it is recommended to read works of fiction and engage in creativity.
Don't limit yourself to new experiences; It will be useful to constantly learn something new, make different acquaintances and experience interesting emotions.
It is necessary to make an appointment with a psychologist or psychotherapist to work through complexes or problems with communication and self-acceptance.

By following these rules, you can prepare yourself to become aware of problems and unexpressed needs, which allows you to find a way to express the accumulated energy.

Its transformation can occur in the form of:

creating works of art;
performing sports exercises;
scientific activities;
creation of musical works;
writing poetry or prose;
engaging in activism in any organization;
dancing, stretching or yoga classes.

Sublimation may vary depending on the needs that predominate in a person. The most problematic thing is to sublimate aggression, which most often arises due to self-doubt, complexes and inability to communicate with people.

There are rules to cope with aggression using sublimation:

it is necessary to create conditions for the manifestation of creativity;
it is necessary to focus on positive events;
It is advisable to go in for sports as an effective way to relieve stress;
you need to create a safe atmosphere around yourself, turn to loved ones for support;
It is advisable to contact a psychotherapist and work through the situation that caused the aggression.

There is also a concentration technique that is often used to find a way to embody energy in an activity.

It is called “Black Hole” and consists of the following sequence of actions:

It is necessary to create complete soundproofing in the room.
Close the curtains in the room to create a feeling of complete darkness.
Focus on your goals and let your thoughts flow to generate new ideas.

This method allows the psyche to focus only on a specific task and not be distracted by extraneous stimuli.

For the same purpose, there are sensory deprivation chambers, which are found in some spas: during the procedure (floating), a person is in a pool with a salt solution, which feels like it keeps the body weightless. The temperature of the solution corresponds to body temperature, and extraneous sounds and light do not penetrate into the room.

This promotes complete relaxation of the senses and body, so the brain, due to the lack of familiar information to process, allows you to think about things that a person had not thought about before. This procedure allows you to look at problems from a different angle and find new solutions to your goals, so the process is often compared to deep meditation.

Sublimation is a defense that, in psychology, allows one to direct internal unwanted impulses to socially approved activities. Proper preparation for the process of sublimation and awareness of internal conflicts and causes of frustration allows you to effectively use your energy and feel satisfaction from the activities performed.

Sublimation in men

Men more often suffer from experiences in the intimate sphere. Heavy sports, concentration on a career, hunting and fishing, or a passion for technology help to cope with them.

Important! This does not mean that there are not other manifestations of sublimation. For example, many artists and poets express their experiences through creativity, and some women take up weightlifting.

The benefits of sublimation - the conclusion of Theodor Adorno

The German philosopher and sociologist Theodor Adorno believed that a person’s true desires can be judged by a person’s activity on the Internet and his television preferences. For example, people who secretly crave violence watch corresponding programs and films.

In addition, the Internet and television help get rid of daily worries, stress, fatigue, and disappointment. A person chooses films and programs that compensate for what he lacks in real life.

How to get the most out of sublimation

The ability to sublimate is a trait of a mature personality. This ability allows you to direct all destructive impulses into a productive direction, making life positive and creative. For this, sublimation must occur at the level of consciousness, which means it is necessary to develop awareness as such. Relaxing techniques help with this: breathing exercises, meditation.

To sublimate correctly, you need to learn to understand your emotions and feelings, desires and needs. It is also important, with the help of introspection, to separate true activity from sublimation and be able to find its causes (unsatisfied needs). Think about whether it is possible to refuse a surrogate and still get what you want. The problem is that in most cases it is easier to sublimate than to work on satisfying a need or working through negative experiences, destructive tendencies, and traumas.

How sublimation is used in human life: examples

Let's consider popular, obvious and non-obvious methods and methods of sublimation in the form of a table.

An example of sublimation from life	Translation from the “language” of sublimation
Release of aggression in the ring	If a person’s fists are constantly itching, he thirsts for blood and fights, then you can arrange this not on the street or in a cafe, but in a ring. The more rage a person has, the better success he can achieve in sports.
Striptease and exhibitionism	If we delve deeper into the theory of psychoanalysis, we can assume that exhibitionists go into striptease. Imagine what will happen if they start showing off their bodies on the street - this is punishable by law. And in the club everything is legal, all participants agree
Keeping pets instead of having children	Why a person does not want to continue his family is a question for another article, but in order to fulfill the need to take care of someone, to feel important and significant, he gets an animal
Passion for food and alcohol	An example of distorted satisfaction of the need for love. This is an example of destructive sublimation. At the chemical (hormonal) level, the same thing happens, only overeating and addiction are dangerous to health, but love is not. A more successful option for sublimation in this case is sports and creativity.
Watching horror movies	A socially acceptable outlet for sadistic tendencies. A person gets pleasure from the fact that the maniac from the film hurts someone. This is enough to prevent a person from lashing out at anyone in life.
Creativity and sexual energy	Unfulfilled sexual energy or perverted fantasies find outlet in erotic paintings or stories and other creative works.
Sexual perversions and pathological tendencies	Some sexual addictions, for example, BDSM, are also a manifestation of sublimation: a permitted outlet for the craving for violence or, conversely, a specific outlet for a person with a victim program. And again everyone is happy and content, no breaking of laws or domestic violence. By the way, scandals and sports are a sublimation of sex as such
Traumatic memories, feelings and creativity	Unrequited or lost love, difficult childhood, disappointments and other painful emotions and experiences help create. Artists, musicians, poets use negative feelings to create masterpieces. In fact, this is how they help themselves survive the trauma.

Examples of sublimation can be continued endlessly; our whole life is saturated with them. Otherwise, people would not have survived, and the level of crime, unhappy or crazy people would have gone through the roof. It's a pity that not everyone is familiar with this wonderful mechanism.

How to sublimate effectively: my tips

To sublimate consciously and effectively, you need to understand what you are experiencing and what it can be turned into. I’ll give you a hint: the universal sphere of sublimation is creativity. And the most universal form of creativity is drawing. You can express any emotions and fantasies in it, and you don’t need to be able to draw to practice. The result will be something like independent home art therapy.

These tips will help make sublimation as effective as possible:

Take a comfortable position (sitting or lying down), isolate yourself from society and any irritants, close your eyes. Listen to your thoughts and feelings, try to identify your emotion.
Think about when and where you experience this most often. What and who surrounds you at these moments. What exactly is the emotion associated with?
Think about where your emotion is concentrated: legs, arms, torso, etc.
Draw the emotion and the conditions under which it occurs. Remember that there are no restrictions. You can draw with any part of the body (where the emotion lives), with any objects. And you can draw anything. Have you seen modern art? In my opinion, most of them are sublimation products. In general, if you are angry with someone, then splash paint on the canvas. If you want to tear someone apart, smear paint on the canvas with your hands. If you're sad or feel like you're missing something, paint a picture that reflects that. Or you can do this exercise: blindfold yourself and move a pencil along the sheet as you see fit.

And this is a universal algorithm for sublimation for the benefit of the individual and society:

Make a complete list of what you do in life. Write down every hobby, main activity (work or study).
Opposite each line, put a plus sign (your choice, true desire) or a minus sign (forced measure, unconscious sublimation). I’ll give you a hint: what belongs to the second usually looks like a simple habit; there is no personal meaning in it.
Sort each activity with a minus sign. What is the need behind this? What is needed to satisfy it? What types of social activities can you find this in?

Important! Don't limit yourself to the advice of other people or experts. Listen to yourself and do what your soul is drawn to. Try, even if you think you can’t do something. And if you know how to do something and you are interested in something, then even more so, try it.

Instead of output

Any sublimation can develop into a way to make money, because any problem is given for something. Maybe just to discover new talents in yourself. You must force yourself to take a step towards life, share your experiences, and not carry them inside yourself.

You can give an example with a cake. For example, you have a cake. It’s huge, with a lot of rich cream, three tiers. But you don’t want to share it with him; you carry it with you everywhere. You think that others will not like this cake. And you need to eat it yourself, you have to eat only it, but it doesn’t end there.

And now it makes you sick, it’s no longer possible to eat it on your own, your arms and back hurt because you carry it around with you, you want to give it to someone. It is very important to share this cake with friends, relatives, and just passers-by to make it easier.

The same thing happens with your negative experiences and thoughts. To make it easier, you need to share them with the world.

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