Deprivation- is a temporary or permanent, complete or partial, artificial or life-related isolation of a person from the interaction of his internal psyche with the external psyche. Deprivation is both a process and a result of such isolation. Most often allocate the following types deprivation:
- stimulus deprivation (sensory): the number of sensory stimuli is reduced or their variability is limited;
- cognitive deprivation: too variable chaotic structure of the external world without clear ordering and content, which does not allow understanding, anticipating and regulating information that comes from outside
- deprivation of emotional attitude (emotional): insufficient opportunity to establish an intimate emotional relationship with someone or the breakdown of an emotional connection, if one has already been created;
- identity deprivation (social): limited opportunity to acquire an independent social role.
- sensory;
- emotional;
- psychomotor;
- spiritual;
- social;
- cognitive;
- psychocultural.
- short-term (a diver’s work for several hours at the bottom of the sea, rest on a desert island, illness, etc.);
- protracted (for example, the stay of astronauts in low-Earth orbit)
- long-term (lack of physical activity over the years, renunciation of secular life through self-isolation in a monastery, membership in cult organizations (sects), etc.).
Currently, the term “deprivation” is actively used in psychological and medical literature. However, there is no unity in defining the content of this concept.
The term "deprivation" is derived from English word deprivation, which literally means deprivation, loss. It is based on the Latin root privare, which means “to separate.” The prefix de conveys the strengthening of the meaning of the root (you can compare: Latin pressare - “press”, “press” and English depression - “depression”, “suppression”).
In English-language literature, the concept of “deprivation” means the loss of something, deprivation due to insufficient satisfaction of any important need, which occurs as a result of separating a person from the necessary sources of their satisfaction and has harmful consequences. In this case, we are not talking about physical deprivation, but about insufficient satisfaction of mental needs, therefore, mental deprivation. It is the psychological side of these consequences that is significant because, regardless of whether a person’s motor activity is limited, whether he is excommunicated from culture or society, or whether he is deprived of maternal love from early childhood, the manifestations of deprivation are psychologically similar. They can cover a wide range of personality changes from mild oddities that do not go beyond the normal emotional picture, up to very severe lesions in the development of intelligence and character.
Deprivation is more pathogenic than younger child and the more needs it covers.
The most complete and detailed definition of mental deprivation was given by J. Langmeyer and Z. Matejcek: “Mental deprivation is a mental state that arises as a result of such life situations, where the subject is not given the opportunity to satisfy some of his basic (vital) mental needs in sufficient measure and for a sufficiently long time.”
At the same time, among the “basic (vital)” needs, which are recognized as approximately the same in all human cultures, the authors include:
1) the need for a certain quantity, variability and type of stimuli;
2) the need for basic conditions for effective teaching;
3) the need for primary social connections (especially with the mother or a person replacing her), which provide the possibility of effective basic integration of the individual;
4) the need for social self-realization, which provides the opportunity to master separate social roles and value goals.
The term “hospitalism” is used as a synonym for mental deprivation. Hospitalism is limited to describing the situation in which deprivation occurs in institutions - in most cases this is a hospital environment, but the hospital situation can be accompanied by other influences in addition to deprivation (greater possibility of infection, change of regime, lack of sleep, increased potential for conflicts when living in a group and etc.). But it is worth noting that under favorable conditions, deprivation in institutions may not arise at all.
In addition to the term “hospitalism”, the concepts of “separation” and “isolation” are used, used as equivalent. But they can rather be defined as a condition of deprivation itself or as a condition that contributes to the emergence of a deprivation situation, that is, a life situation where there is no possibility of satisfying important mental needs.
It is also worth noting the definition of deprivation given by sociologists: deprivation is any condition that gives rise or can give rise to an individual or group a feeling of their own deprivation in comparison with other individuals (or groups), or with an internalized set of standards. The feeling of deprivation can be conscious when individuals and groups experiencing deprivation can understand the reasons for their condition. But it is also possible for the situation to develop when deprivation is experienced as something else, that is, individuals and groups perceive their condition in a transformed form, without realizing its true causes. In both cases, however, deprivation is accompanied by a strong desire to overcome it.
The concept of frustration is quite close to the concept of deprivation, but they cannot be used as identical.
Frustration is defined as a mental state caused by failure to satisfy a need and accompanied by various negative experiences: disappointment, irritation, anxiety, despair, etc. about this.
One of the most important differences between frustration and deprivation is the subject’s awareness of the impossibility of satisfying a need. Deprivation may be partially or even completely unrecognized for some time. Consequently, its consequences can be associated with a variety of reasons. It also represents a much more serious and severe condition than frustration. J. Langmeyer and Z. Matejcek give the following example: frustration occurs if a child is taken away from his favorite toy and is given the opportunity to play with something that he likes less. Deprivation occurs if the child is not given the opportunity to play at all.
A. Maslow, in the context of comparing the concepts of threat, frustration and deprivation, distinguishes two varieties of the latter: deprivation of non-basic needs and threatening deprivation. Deprivation of non-basic needs is insignificant for the body, easily replaced and does not cause serious consequences. Threatening deprivation can be defined as a threat to the individual; it threatens life goals individual, his protective systems, self-esteem, prevents his self-actualization, that is, makes it impossible to satisfy basic needs.
The meaning of a goal object for an individual is dual: it can be a true or internal meaning, or it can be symbolic. A. Maslow gives the following example: two children wanted ice cream, but did not get it. The first child, having heard his mother’s refusal to buy ice cream, felt that he had simply lost the pleasure of eating ice cream, while the second one perceived the refusal to a greater extent as an inability to satisfy his need to be loved; for him, ice cream became a symbol of maternal love, it acquired psychological value. Thus, in the first case, deprivation can hardly be considered threatening and have serious consequences. If the refusal is perceived by the child as a refusal of love (second case), then such deprivation is considered as frustrating.
Thus, deprivation can have serious consequences for the individual when the target object is a symbol of love, prestige, respect, or another basic need. Children who constantly feel the love and care of their parents, children who have formed a basic sense of trust in the world, can quite easily endure cases of deprivation, a disciplinary regime, etc., they do not perceive them as a fundamental threat, as a threat to their main, basic needs
Some researchers, when defining the concept of deprivation, draw an analogy between mental and biological failure. Serious disturbances in the development and functioning of the body occur both due to nutritional deficiency, lack of vitamins, oxygen, and in the case of mental deficiency - lack of social contacts, sensory stimulation, etc. Thus, D. Hebb defines deprivation as a biologically adequate, but psychologically limited environment.
So, having examined the main approaches to defining the concept of deprivation, it should be noted that they are all similar in one central point: deprivation is the deprivation or limitation of opportunities to satisfy needs. Depending on what exactly a person is deprived of, there are different types of it. Thus, J. Langmeyer and Z. Matejcek identify four main types of mental deprivation.
1) Stimulus (sensory) deprivation: reduced number of sensory stimuli or their limited variability and modality.
2) Deprivation of meaning (cognitive): too changeable, chaotic structure of the external world without clear ordering and meaning, which does not make it possible to understand, anticipate and regulate what is happening from the outside.
3) Deprivation of emotional relationship (emotional): insufficient opportunity to establish an intimate emotional relationship with a person or the severance of such an emotional connection, if one has already been created.
4) Identity deprivation (social): limited opportunity to acquire an autonomous social role.
Expanding in more detail the above types of deprivation, the following points should be noted.
Sensory deprivation is sometimes described by the concept of an “impoverished environment,” that is, an environment in which a person does not receive a sufficient amount of visual, auditory, tactile and other stimuli. This concept was used in his works by D. Hebb, who put forward and empirically proved the hypothesis that if a very limited environment leads to disturbances in the development and normal functioning of the body, then an environment rich in sensory stimuli, on the contrary, stimulates development. Therefore, a complex sensory environment - important condition favorable development small child.
Famous Russian psychologist L.I. Bozhovich put forward the position that children, during their transition from the neonatal period to infancy, have a special need, namely the need for new impressions. It is expressed in the appearance of visual concentration in children, which in turn changes all their behavior and the nature of their emotional experiences. This need is the basis for the formation of other social needs, including the social nature of the need for communication between a child and his mother.
Cognitive (information) deprivation prevents the creation of adequate models of the surrounding world. If not necessary information, ideas about connections between objects and phenomena, a person creates “imaginary connections” (according to I.P. Pavlov), he develops false beliefs. Lack of information in professional activity leads to mistakes and interferes with making productive decisions. The influence of information hunger on the psyche is especially pronounced in extreme operating conditions.
Both children and adults can experience emotional deprivation. The first and most important emotional connection is between the baby and the mother or caregiver. By establishing this connection, the need for love and recognition is satisfied. A pronounced lack of communication between a child and his mother, that is, maternal deprivation, leads to a number of disorders mental health child. For example, children who are potentially capable of establishing emotional contact, but are deprived of it in the early period of development (due to the neutrality or even emotional hostility of others), lose the ability to make such contact in the future. The most striking expression of the consequences of this type of deprivation is observed in children living in boarding schools, as well as in socially unprotected and single-parent families, when a child is raised with one of the parents who does not pay him due attention and does not provide him with the necessities of life. Also, a situation of emotional deprivation contributes to the development of the phenomenon of alienation, and this is what produces the lack of love and warmth towards the second and third generations in the family (like a kind of consistent chain of generations, which can be quite difficult to interrupt).
Social deprivation is interpreted quite broadly in the literature. It is faced by both children living or studying in closed institutions, and adults who, for one reason or another, are isolated from society or have limited contact with other people.
A classic example here is the so-called Mowgli children, who from early childhood are deprived of contact with society and do not have the opportunity to develop culturally.
In addition to the above types of deprivation, there are others. For example, when a sharp restriction of movement occurs (as a result of illness, injury, etc.), we can talk about motor deprivation. Its consequences are especially severe for children: there is a delay not only in motor development, but also in the development of speech, social skills and emotional expression. Children whose physical activity has been severely limited for a long time due to medical reasons are susceptible to depressive states, which can be replaced by outbursts of rage and aggressiveness.
In modern psychology and related humanities, there are certain types of deprivation that are of a generalized nature or associated with individual aspects of human existence in society: educational, economic, ethical deprivation, etc.
In addition to species, there are various shapes manifestations of deprivation - obvious or hidden.
Explicit deprivation is obvious: a person’s long stay isolated from society, raising a child in orphanage and so on.
Hidden deprivation (according to G. Harlow), or partial (according to J. Bowlby) occurs when, even under externally favorable conditions, it is not possible to satisfy the needs that are significant to a person. J. Bowlby speaks of partial deprivation where there has been no direct separation of mother and child, but their relationship for some reason is impoverished and unsatisfactory. In addition to this, G. Harlow distinguishes between a disturbed and an insufficient relationship between mother and child.
There is also existential deprivation, which can be understood as the deprivation of existential needs. Existential needs include those associated with an attempt to understand the meaning of human existence, to understand issues of life and death, freedom and responsibility, communication and loneliness, to understand one’s purpose, etc.
Sociologists Yu.G. Volkov and V.I. Dobrenkov initially considered deprivation not only as a mental phenomenon, that is, the basis for identifying its types for them was not the concept of mental deprivation, but deprivation in general.
1) economic deprivation stems from the uneven distribution of income in society and the limited satisfaction of the needs of some individuals and groups;
2) social deprivation is explained by the tendency of society to evaluate the qualities and abilities of some individuals and groups higher than others, expressing this assessment in the distribution of such social rewards as prestige, power, high status in society and corresponding opportunities for participation in social life;
3) organismic deprivation is associated with congenital or acquired individual defects of a person - physical deformities, disabilities, dementia, etc.;
4) ethical deprivation is associated with a value conflict that arises when the ideals of individuals or groups do not coincide with the ideals of society;
5) mental deprivation arises as a result of the formation of a value vacuum in an individual or group, that is, the absence meaningful system values according to which they could build their lives.
Thus, deprivation is a complex, multidimensional phenomenon related to various areas human life, and in it different kinds deprivations usually do not occur in isolation from each other, but form rather complex interweavings. Some of them may be combined, one may be a consequence of the other, but they all involve a frustrating situation that requires endurance and patience from a person.
The impact of any type of deprivation entails negative consequences for the human psyche, but depending on his innate qualities (for example, type nervous system) the degree of impact varies.
Conclusions on the first chapter
The beginning of the study of the problem of mental deprivation can be attributed to classical psychoanalysis, but there is still no full disclosure of the essence, causes and consequences of this phenomenon.
Representatives of the psychoanalytic school see the cause of deprivation mainly in the lack of communication with the mother. In the theory of learning, the main factor in mental development delay is considered to be the limited motor and exploratory activity of the child and the lack of full interaction with environment. Supporters motivational theory Lack of social incentives is identified as a condition of deprivation. Sociologists see the cause of deprivation in the lack of communication and interaction of a child with a person performing a strictly defined role in social structure child. In the works of domestic psychologists, the cause of deprivation is considered to be the child’s lack of communication with adults, as a result of which the process of transferring sociocultural experience is disrupted, there is a poverty of manifestations of the child’s emotional reactions, alienation of children, a decrease in the overall level of development, etc.
Most full definition mental deprivation was formulated by J. Langmeyer and Z. Matejcek - this is a mental state that arises as a result of such life situations where the subject is not given the opportunity to satisfy some of his basic (life) mental needs in sufficient measure and for a sufficiently long time.
The concepts of “separation”, “isolation” and “hospitalism” are often used as a synonym for deprivation. The first two terms can be defined rather as a condition of mental deprivation, and “hospitalism” has a much narrower content and is, literally, a set of mental and somatic disorders caused by a person’s long stay in a medical institution, separated from loved ones and home.
mental deprivation personality child
The term “deprivation” is actively used in psychological literature recent years. However, there is no unity in defining the content of this concept.
The word "deprivation" (from English. deprivation) means deprivation, loss. It is based on the Latin root private, What does "to separate" mean? Prefix de in an English word it conveys an intensification of the meaning of the root (can be compared: lat. pressare– “press”, “press” and English. depression– “depression”, “suppression”).
In English-language literature, the concept of “deprivation” (deprivation, or resp. privilege) means the loss of something, deprivation due to insufficient satisfaction of any important need. In this case, we are not talking about physical deprivation, but about insufficient satisfaction of mental needs (mental deprivation).
J. Langmeyer and Z. Matejcek give the following definition:
“Mental deprivation is a mental state that arises as a result of such life situations where the subject is not given the opportunity to satisfy some of his basic (life) mental needs in sufficient measure and for a sufficiently long time.”
At the same time, among the “basic (vital)” needs, the authors include:
1) the need for a certain quantity, variability and type (modality) of stimuli;
2) the need for basic conditions for effective teaching;
3) the need for primary social ties (especially with the mother), ensuring the possibility of effective basic integration of the individual;
4) the need for social self-realization, which provides the opportunity to master various social roles and value goals.
When defining deprivation, an analogy is often drawn between mental and biological impairment. Just as serious disorders arise as a result of nutritional deficiency, lack of vitamins, oxygen, etc., serious disorders can also arise in the case of mental deficiency - deficiency of love, stimulation, social contacts. Thus, D. Hebb defines deprivation as a biologically adequate, but psychologically limited environment.
The concept of deprivation is close to the concept frustration. However, they are not identical.
Frustration is defined as a mental state caused by failure to satisfy a need and accompanied by various negative experiences: disappointment, irritation, anxiety, despair, etc.
Thus, frustration, firstly, concerns a need that is actualized at the moment and already directed towards a goal, and secondly, it is characterized by the subject’s awareness of the impossibility of satisfying it.
Deprivation may be partially or even completely unrecognized for some time. Its negative consequences can be associated with a variety of reasons. Thus, a person may not associate, for example, depression with a deficit of sensory stimuli.
Thus, unlike frustration, deprivation operates more covertly, but often has more serious consequences.
J. Langmeyer and Z. Matejcek draw the following analogy: frustration occurs if a child is taken away from his favorite toy and he is forced to play with what he likes less, and deprivation occurs if the child is deprived of the opportunity to play at all.
A. Maslow, in the context of comparing these concepts, identifies two types of deprivation: deprivation of non-basic needs And threatening deprivation. The first is easily replaced and does not cause serious consequences for the body. The second is considered as a threat to the individual, that is, as deprivation that threatens the individual’s life goals, his self-esteem, interferes with self-actualization - in a word, prevents the satisfaction of basic needs.
Outwardly, the same situation, Maslow continues, can have different consequences and lead to deprivation of either one or another type. So, if a child who was not bought ice cream feels first of all disappointment that he has lost the pleasure of eating it, then such deprivation can hardly be considered threatening and have serious consequences. If the refusal is perceived by the child as a refusal of love, that is, ice cream is a carrier of certain psychological values, then such deprivation is considered as frustrating. Thus, deprivation can have serious consequences for the individual when the target object is a symbol of love, prestige, respect, or another basic need.
Children who constantly feel the love and care of their parents, children who have formed a basic sense of trust in the world, can quite easily endure cases of deprivation, a disciplinary regime, etc., they do not perceive them as a fundamental threat, as a threat to their main, basic needs
The concepts of “separation” and “isolation” are close to the concept of “deprivation”. The latter rather denote a deprivation situation, a condition of deprivation. Mental deprivation is characterized by a special condition that arises in a deprivation situation. In this regard, we can say that under the same conditions of isolation, the nature of mental deprivation of each person will largely be determined by the individual characteristics of the individual, in particular the significance of those needs that are suppressed. People who find themselves isolated from society will experience this situation differently, and its consequences for their psyche will also be different.
Deprivation refers to psycho-emotional state the person with whom he resides under stress due to the inability to satisfy usual needs.
Each of us in Everyday life cannot do without standard things: good sleep, nutrition, communication with family, implementation at work. If for some reason barriers to their implementation appear, this brings psychological or physical discomfort. As a result, consciousness changes. The lack of social and sensory stimuli leads to personality degradation.
How does deprivation manifest itself?
Depending on the type of disorder, there may be various signs. But there are a number of common symptoms that indicate the disease:
- constant feeling of dissatisfaction;
- aggression;
- increased anxiety;
- depressive states;
- decreased activity;
- loss of interest in familiar things.
In itself, depriving a person of his usual benefits does not provoke a disorder. Deprivation is caused by the attitude of a particular person to certain circumstances. For example, if you limit the food intake of a person who practices fasting or a special diet, then this will not become stressful for him. But if the same thing is done to an individual who is not used to such things, it will cause him physical or emotional suffering. Deprivation is the psychological inability of an individual to adapt to circumstances that have changed.
Types of deprivation
There are two forms of deprivation:
- absolute - when an individual really does not have the opportunity to satisfy his usual needs for food, communication, recreation, education;
- relative - a type of disorder in which a person does not have factors for the development of deviations, since all the necessary benefits are present. But he is not able to enjoy the realization of these benefits. The relative form is a borderline state between the norm and deviation.
If we carry out another classification, then it is customary to distinguish the following types of deprivation:
- sensory - in this case there is no opportunity to receive satisfaction from impressions (no stimulus). The stimulus variety includes sexual (lack of intimate relationships), visual (for example, when a person is placed in a dark room for a long period), tactile (excluding tactile contacts);
- paternal - typical for children who are forced to grow up in a dysfunctional family;
- cognitive - exclusion of the opportunity to develop in the cultural sphere, in knowledge of the world;
- social - the inability to realize one’s development in ordinary society due to a certain isolation. It is typical for people who are in prison, on compulsory treatment, for children who are brought up in orphanages and boarding schools.
Emotional deprivation
Emotions play an important role in shaping personality. They shape the character of behavior and help to adapt to society. Throughout its development, an individual changes in the emotional sphere, adapting to various circumstances. Emotions help a person understand his role in life and influence consciousness, thinking and perception.
Emotional deprivation leads to the fact that a person does not perceive the fullness of social sphere, the field of knowledge becomes limited. Such factors cannot but influence normal psychological development.
There is an opinion among psychologists that the fundamental moment for the formation of a positive attitude towards life is the conscious desire of parents to have a baby. In this case, a beloved baby is born, in whose subconscious the correct perception of himself and those around him is already embedded.
Next important stage Personality formation becomes the period of early childhood. If at this time he is surrounded by people who cannot sufficiently show the correct emotions, prerequisites arise for the development of deprivation disorders. A healthy psychological atmosphere in the family, an emotional connection between parents and child is the key to the formation of a positive attitude towards surrounding things and circumstances. Emotional deprivation is typical for those people who were brought up in an environment that was too emotionally volatile. This leads to social hyperactivity and difficulty establishing stable interpersonal relationships.
If in childhood the person was deprived emotionally, another type of deviation is formed. Various complexes develop, a feeling of melancholy and loneliness appears. Emotional hunger also drains the body physically. Such a baby begins to lag behind in development. If a person appears in his life with whom a close emotional connection is established, a feeling of attachment appears, the situation can change dramatically. A striking example can be the kids from orphanage who end up in a family where a healthy psychological climate reigns. If at the stage of forced isolation from society and lack of attention they experience sensory deprivation, then in the case of acquiring full-fledged parents, healing occurs over time. Physical and mental indicators improve, their perception and attitude towards the world changes.
Maternal mental deprivation
There are situations in life when, for some reason, a child finds himself without a mother. For example, the mother died or she abandoned the baby after his birth. This classic options maternal losses, which have a deprivative effect on human development. But other options for separation from mother can become a catalyst for the development of deviations. Among them, the most common are:
- due to difficult childbirth, the child is temporarily separated from the parent;
- the mother is forced to leave for a certain period of time without the baby (on a business trip, to study, etc.);
- mother goes to work too early, entrusting raising the child to grandmothers and nannies;
- the baby is given to kindergarten at an age when he is not yet psychologically ready for it;
- Due to illness, the child is admitted to the hospital without his mother.
The above cases are open maternal mental deprivation. There is also a hidden form. It is characterized by psychological tension in the mother's relationship with the child in her physical presence. This is a wrong relationship. In what cases can they be observed?
- when children are born into a family with a small age difference, and the mother is simply physically unable to pay attention to the elders as needed;
- if a woman suffers from a physical or mental illness that prevents her from fully caring for her baby and communicating;
- when there is an atmosphere of tension or hostility between parents in the family;
- if the mother is overly keen on the scientific approach in raising a child and absolutely does not listen to either her intuition or individual characteristics your baby.
Maternal deprivation is always experienced by children who were born as a result of an unwanted pregnancy, which influenced the formation of attitudes towards them.
Psychologists note that the foundations for the development of pathological conditions are often laid in children under the age of 3 years. This is the period that is especially important for establishing emotional contact with the mother. If this does not happen, the risk of auto-aggression, depression and lack of perception of the outside world increases. In adolescence and adulthood, such a person does not perceive himself and is not able to build normal social relations with other people. There is a version that maternal mental deprivation may underlie a number of autism spectrum diseases.
Paternal deprivation
Ideally, both parents should be involved in raising a child. After all, the influence of each of them is special and irreplaceable. Paterial deprivation can be as harmful to a person’s emotional development as maternal deprivation. What situations influence the formation of negative life dispositions?
- father leaves the family;
- there is a man’s physical presence in the house, but he does not build any emotional connections with the baby (indifference);
- the father realizes his ambitions in relation to the child;
- In the family, role functions are violated: the woman takes on the inherent masculine functions and becomes a leader who actively suppresses the masculine principle. And the opposite situation, in which the father performs the functions of the mother.
Paterial mental deprivation leads to the fact that the child does not correctly perceive sexual differentiation, becomes emotionally vulnerable and incompetent. When a psychologist begins to work with a patient, he always tries to analyze the childhood period and the period of his growing up. As practice shows, many individuals experience an accumulation of ancestral deprivations. And the next generation becomes even more incapable of building relationships correctly, which leads to problems for their children.
Sleep deprivation
There are different types of deprivation. Exists special group, which includes sleep deprivation.
To live a full life in full health, a person must get enough sleep. If, for forced or voluntary reasons, he is regularly deprived of sleep, this will immediately affect his psychological and physical state.
We all know cases when, due to urgent work, exams or business trips, we have to sacrifice several hours of rest. If this is a one-time event, it does not pose a danger to the body. But if this happens constantly, the lack of sleep affects your well-being. During rest, the hormone of joy is actively produced. Lack of sleep provokes sleep deprivation. The functioning of the endocrine system is disrupted, metabolism slows down. The person begins to suffer from excess weight, headaches and depression.
At all times, one of the most cruel punishments was considered to be depriving an individual of the opportunity to sleep. This was achieved by creating conditions under which rest was unrealistic (loud music, bright light in the face, inability to take any position for sleeping). If a person is deprived of sleep (or he voluntarily refuses it) for several days in a row, this is called total sleep deprivation. How does this affect the body?
- one day without rest - decline physical strength, decreased response;
- two days - motor activity and mental abilities are impaired;
- three days - severe tension headaches begin;
- four days - hallucinations appear, suppressed volitional sphere. This is a critical phase of deprivation, after which irreversible processes can occur that pose a threat to life.
No matter how paradoxical it may sound, but with the help of sleep deprivation you can... treat. There are practical studies that have established that artificially depriving a person of the sleep phase can help him get rid of deep depression. This effect is explained as follows: lack of sleep - stress. Active production of catecholamines begins, which are responsible for emotional tone. In this manner shock therapy interest in life returns. Sleep deprivation also successfully relieves insomnia. Of course, such treatment methods must be carried out strictly under the supervision of a specialist.
The term "deprivation" is used to denote the mental reaction to unmet needs. For example, we can cite a situation where a girl breaks up with her boyfriend, which leads to emotional deprivation. This condition manifests itself in the form of a deficit of emotions, as well as an acute lack of the sensations that the woman received from the relationship. Depending on the situation, the types of this condition vary. Let's look at what deprivation is and how to avoid its development.
Deprivation reduction or complete deprivation of the opportunity to satisfy basic needs - psychophysiological or social
The term deprivation means deprivation or loss, which is how the Latin word deprivation is translated.. In psychology, this term is used to refer to a state in which a person cannot fully satisfy his own needs, which leads to the appearance of negative emotions. Negative emotions during deprivation they manifest themselves in the form of feelings of resentment, anxiety or fear. According to experts, the concept of deprivation combines various emotions that a person experiences when faced with various difficulties in life.
A distinctive feature of this state is an acute lack of relationship between desires and incentives to achieve the goal.
The emergence of deprivation leads to personal changes, which are expressed in the form of a feeling of inner emptiness. Being in this state, a person ceases to feel the desire for self-improvement and loses the meaning of life. Communication with friends, favorite activities and even gastronomic interests lose their relevance for a particular individual. The emergence of various fears becomes the main reason that a person does not strive to change his life for the better. It is almost impossible to get out of such a state on your own.
Various forms of deprivation
Deprivation in psychology is a term used to characterize a mental state provoked by the inability to provide for personal life needs.
In addition, this condition can be caused by the loss of certain incentives to achieve various goals. In medicine, this condition is divided into several groups, which are based on unmet needs that acted as the causes of the disorder. Deprivation can cause aggression
Sensory deprivation
- This type of mental state is caused by a lack of stimuli that have a close relationship with various sensations. In turn, incentives are divided into:
- tactile;
- visual;
auditory.
The condition in question may be caused by a lack of hugs, a sense of physical closeness and other stimuli. This phenomenon is characterized by duality. Some patients try to compensate for the lack of sensory stimuli by devoting their attention to other areas. Other patients experience outbursts of aggressive behavior caused by lack of attention. As an example, we can cite a situation where a girl felt an acute lack of parental love in her childhood. In adulthood, such echoes from the past can lead to an attempt to gain the necessary feelings through a random change of sexual partners. However, there are examples when the lack of parental love is taken for granted, which leads to the girl trying to avoid any manifestations of feelings for the opposite sex. The state of sensory deprivation poses a huge danger to the human psyche. According to experts, the visual form of the disorder has the greatest danger to life. A similar illness occurs against the background of a sharp and irreversible loss of vision. It is difficult for a person to bear such a loss in psychologically
. It should be noted here that the higher the patient’s age, the more dangerous the consequences. Constant memories of various visual images can cause the development of depressive syndrome and more severe mental disorders.
Motor deprivation Motor deprivation is quite common and is observed in people who have received various injuries. Restriction in movement can negatively affect a person’s mental state. Such restrictions are perceived most acutely in. Under the pressure of the situation, the patient experiences an increase in anxiety levels and develops a state close to depression. Limitation of one's own mobility can cause outbursts of aggression and rage, which is characteristic of mental regression.
Often, people in this state experience compensatory activity, which manifests itself in the form of monotonous body movements. The appearance of such symptoms in childhood can cause a delay in the development of the musculoskeletal system.
Deprivation is depriving a person of those life circumstances to which a person has become accustomed since childhood Cognitive deprivation
This type of mental state has a high prevalence. Often, this form of disorder is referred to using the term “information deprivation.” This phenomenon is characterized by a lack of adequate perception of the surrounding world, due to its changing conditions. The lack of information that makes it possible to create a strong chain between various events leads to the fact that the individual adds “false links” to this chain, built on his own beliefs.
Cognitive deprivation is dangerous because a lack of information and false conclusions can lead to various problems in relationships with other people.
As an example, let's consider a situation in which a woman returned home late at night with a bouquet of flowers. The above example may have several development paths, which are based on the personality type and level of self-esteem of her partner. Often, a lack of information and false conclusions lead to the fact that the husband begins to reproach the woman for adultery, building a logical chain only on the fact that the wife has flowers. Considering the above, we can say that the ability to correctly perceive various information is one of the necessary skills in social adaptation.
Emotional deprivation The appearance of this condition is associated with a lack of incentives to obtain certain emotions. In this case, is given to various turning points that act as provoking factors in the development of the disease. Let's look at an example that is based on a lack of maternal love in childhood. This form of emotional deprivation occurs quite often in various sectors of society. According to experts, people with this problem remain in a state of deprivation throughout their lives. When building their own social unit, such people try to take part in the lives of their children as much as possible.
The English verb to deprive means to deprive, take away, take away, and with a strong negative accent Deprivation in childhood
The above types of deprivation have their most acute manifestation in childhood, due to the presence of large quantity different needs. In addition, the development of this condition is facilitated by the lack of opportunity to compensate for one’s own deprivations. It is very important to pay attention to the fact that the presence of the problem in question in childhood can directly affect the child’s development.
Having left infancy, a child begins to experience the same needs as an adult. One of the simplest needs having important in personality development – communication. It is through communication that a person acquires various skills, develops his own perception of the world around him and increases his level of intelligence. This is why psychologists focus on the importance of communication with peers for a child. A lack of communication is observed in children who do not attend kindergarten, which in the future can lead to problems associated with adaptation in society. This phenomenon is referred to using the term “social deprivation”.
There is also pedagogical deprivation, which manifests itself in the form of a lack of interest in learning. Many children have difficulty learning at school due to low interest in science and difficulty mastering various skills. Having this problem can lead to a serious personality disorder in the future. Exactly at school years the foundations of personality are laid, such as desire, perseverance and patience.
Clinical picture
Timely detection of the onset of deprivation plays a huge role in a person’s life. It is very important to correctly recognize changes in an individual's behavior. Most often, deprivation manifests itself in the form of aggression and anger towards the immediate environment. The reason for the appearance of these feelings is associated with the inability to satisfy one’s own psychological and physiological needs. Constant dissatisfaction of one's own needs leads to the fact that the feeling of anger becomes a habitual state. Constant aggression directly affects the state of a person’s psyche. The presence of such problems in childhood can lead to the appearance of physiological ailments associated with involuntary urination and other disorders.
Much less often, the condition in question manifests itself in the form of isolation in one’s own world. In this state, a person tries to compensate for the lack of various needs by trying to convince himself that he does not need them. In an attempt to calm down, the individual devotes himself to activities that do not require high emotional return. Such a manifestation of emotional indifference has a certain similarity with the state of prostration. It should be noted that even such a manifestation of dissatisfaction with one’s own needs can negatively affect psychological health.
According to statistics, the inability to satisfy one’s own needs gives rise to suicidal thoughts, the development of depressive syndrome and even manic tendencies. Emotional deprivation that appears in childhood plays an important role, since the lack of necessary feelings from parents is almost impossible to compensate.
Numerous studies by scientists from the field of psychology are devoted to this topic. In their opinion, there are a number of specific needs that are vital to people in different ways. The ability to realize one's own desires plays an important role in a person's personality.
For ordinary person Almost any deprivation is a nuisance Methods of therapy and psychocorrection
In most cases, you can cope with deprivation syndrome on your own, without resorting to the help of specialists. In this matter, the level of understanding and support provided by loved ones is important. In order to get rid of deprivation, you need to broaden your horizons with the help of various instruments. Various interest groups can serve as such tools. The emotional deficit of communication can be compensated by frequent meetings with friends and trips to various entertainment venues. The lack of tactile contact is usually compensated for by establishing close relationships with the opposite sex.
It is important to note that to overcome a severe form of deprivation, a person needs more global help. In order to get rid of childhood social deprivation, the child must attend a specialized rehabilitation center. It is in such an institution that the child will be able to compensate for the lack of attention to himself and the lack of communication. It should be said that the problem of social deprivation should be considered at the state level.
Most often, deprivation syndrome occurs in pensioners who are forced to live out their old age in solitude and isolation. Social services attach great importance to this issue and often organize various events for pensioners free of charge.
Psychologists use completely different methods to combat deprivation syndrome.
One of the important areas of correction is a radical change in lifestyle and an attempt to compensate through self-realization in other areas. It should be noted that in the presence of severe emotional deprivation, the problem can only be dealt with with the help of a specialist.