Psychological problems. Psychological problem: essence, characteristics, types

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Some people need far from a dozen sessions with a psychotherapist to identify the causes of their problems. And the reasons in most cases are banal - these are children's emotional experiences.

website I found typical hobbies and character traits of people whose lives were directed according to a certain scenario, it would seem, by the usual phrases and behavior of their parents.

There is such a thing as "helicopter parents" - these are parents who hover over their child's head, like helicopters, not losing sight, God forbid, of any detail of his social life. Of course, all this is done with Best wishes, but such excessive control leads to mental disorders and lack of independence of children in adulthood. For example, if you cannot make a single important decision without calling your mother or father, you were probably the victim of such an upbringing.

If parents constantly tell the child how hard it was for them after his birth, how many problems he brought them, or maybe it would be better if they had no children at all, the child understands everything literally: “Everyone feels bad because of me. It turns out that if I wasn’t there, there would be no problems.”

As a result, the child at first unconsciously exposes himself to many injuries, and growing up, he finds another way of the same unconscious self-destruction - alcohol, smoking, drugs and extreme sports.

Parents who often repeat phrases like "Be serious", "Don't be foolish", "Don't act like a little one", "It's time for you to smarten up" etc., “at the exit” they get an adult, serious person who does not know how to fully rest and relax. As a "bonus" - misunderstanding of children and hatred of infantile people.

If parents often compare their child with other, in their opinion, more successful children who, at the age of 10, are almost nominees for the Nobel Prize, they will raise a very critical teenager. And then, most likely, an adult with a very low self-esteem. Being constantly dissatisfied with himself, motivated to prove his superiority over brilliant peers, the child simply begins to play the role of a worthy child, trying to be like others, but hating himself for his inability to initially be as brilliant.

Phrases from loving parents like “Trust no one!”, “All people are deceivers”, “Only I know what is right”, the child understands something like this: "All people are dangerous if it's not mom and dad." The child begins to perceive the world hostile and see the catch everywhere. As an adult, such a person can have serious trust problems, which can especially negatively affect his personal life.

Explanation "You're too young for that!" - this is a direct road to the colorful world of infantilism. The child will remain "small" for this adult life. With a high degree of probability, he will grow up dependent, led and with the need for a permanent partner with the function of a parent.

If parents constantly operate with such words as “Don’t be smart!”, “Stop your head in the clouds!”, “Well, why aren’t you like everyone else?”, their child will have neither an opinion nor an interest in cognitive activity, no initiative, no leadership qualities. The worst thing is that it is not only difficult for such a child to show his own talents and abilities, but it will also be difficult for him to solve strategic problems. And all sorts of “strange thoughts” and ambitions, even as an adult, most likely, he will simply drown out with alcohol and entertainment.

If parents are not very generous with their emotions, rather restrained and even dry, this cannot but affect their children. If all this is also supported by phrases like “Don’t roar, don’t cry!”, “Not sugar, you won’t melt”, “Be patient, stop whining, you’re a man”, then the child ceases to understand own feelings, believing that showing them is bad. Subsequently, this can develop into quite serious psychosomatic diseases, because negative feelings do not disappear anywhere, but destroy the body from the inside.

“We ourselves could not get a higher education, but now we deny ourselves everything just for the sake of you graduating from the institute. Are you aware of this?" The child is not to blame for the events of the past of his own parents, but with such a reproach he feels guilty to the fullest. “Just try to get at least one C!”- the message is completely different, but the result is the same: the child constantly experiences stress and guilt.

And finally, there is a type of paranoid overprotective parent who does not allow the child to perform even ordinary actions: “Don’t touch the cat - it will scratch!”, “Don’t lift the backpack, I’ll carry it myself!”, “Don’t sit on the edge of the chair - you will fall!” As a result, the child is afraid to make any decisions on his own, even if it is needed very urgently. Naturally, he will grow up quite passive and irresponsible and will suffer from paranoid doubts when starting any important business.

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The article analyzes the essence of the psychological problem, its main characteristics, concepts related to psychological problems. An attempt is made to determine the types of psychological problems and build a model of the classification system of psychological problems based on their content. It is proposed to create a working group to develop a diagnostic system for psychological problems.

Keywords: psychological problem, psychological problems of personality, analysis of psychological problems, solution of psychological problems, classification of psychological problems.

work practical psychologist can be conditionally divided into two main parts or stages - the diagnosis of a psychological problem and its solution. If numerous methodological systems and techniques have been created to solve psychological problems, then there are no special generally accepted approaches, diagnostic systems, such as DSM or ICD, for diagnosing psychological problems. Each specialist, on the basis of his own knowledge, experience and psychotherapeutic orientation, determines the client's problem himself. As a result, both in practical work and in the training of specialists, the process of orientation in psychological problems becomes subjective, intuitive, and if a specialist strictly follows a particular psychotherapeutic direction, then it becomes one-sided. In our opinion, the lack of a unified theory and classification system of psychological problems, as well as criteria for their diagnosis, significantly complicates not only the work, but also the training of practical psychologists. The solution of this, in our opinion, fundamental problem of practical psychology is possible only on a collective basis, but here we will try to outline the contours of the problem and our vision of the principles for its solution. First of all, let's try to define the concept of "psychological problem". In psychological dictionaries, in scientific and educational literature, this concept is rarely defined and differentiated. We were able to find two definitions. So, according to T. D' Zurilla and co-authors, “A problem (or problem situation) ... is a life situation or task (in the present or future) that requires a response for adaptive functioning, but the positive result of this reaction is not obvious or impossible due to the presence one or more obstacles” (D'Zurilla et al., 2004, p.12-13). A. Blaser and co-authors define a psychological problem as "...excessive requirements for the patient's adaptive capabilities" (Blazer et al., 1998, p. 55).

Various definitions of a psychological problem can also be found in the popular psychological literature. So, in the encyclopedia of practical psychology N.I. Kozlov, psychological problems are defined as "... internal problems that do not have a clear rational basis" (Kozlov, 2015, p. 637).

Our understanding of psychological problems in methodological terms is based on the so-called problem approach, according to which any process can be considered as a movement aimed at solving a specific problem. From this position, psychological, socio-psychological, pathopsychological processes, behavioral reactions and personality activities can be considered as forms of solving psychological problems. And the joint work of a psychologist and a client can be viewed as a process aimed at diagnosing, understanding and solving the psychological problems of a person. We define a psychological problem as an actualized psychological contradiction within a person or group, which manifests itself within the framework of the mental norm, but creates discomfort, tension, and hinders the normal development, functioning and adaptation of the person or group. Let's try to expand this definition. First, we consider the problem as a contradiction, since any obstacle, difficulty, conflict reflects a contradiction between opposing tendencies. We can say that any problem is based on a contradiction, and any problem, including a psychological one, can be characterized through this basis. For example, fear can be characterized as a contradiction between the desire to live, or to maintain self-esteem, and a situation that threatens these desires. At the same time, one can speak of the presence of a psychological problem if the contradictions are relevant. The latter may exist in a latent form, potentially not bothering the subject, not perceived as a problem. Discomfort, tension, and generally negative emotions usually accompany actualized problems, although sometimes, for example, with intellectual problems, tension can have a positive connotation (for example, during creative work). In our opinion, psychological problems are a kind of barriers to adaptation, development and normal functioning of the individual. Features of overcoming these barriers determine the options for personality development (progressive, regressive, pathological development).

In this definition, we have tried to differentiate between psychological (normal) and so-called "psychiatric" problems, i.e. mental disorders (in English literature, these concepts are usually treated as synonyms). In fact, mental disorders are also psychological problems, but within the pathology, not the norm. Consequently, two types of psychological problems can be distinguished - pathological problems (symptoms of diseases) resulting from mental disorders and the so-called "normal" problems, reflecting the contradictions of a normally functioning psyche. It should be noted that the line between these types of problems is very thin, difficult to distinguish, not stable and is often determined not by the problem itself, but by the characteristics of the person who has this problem, her attitude to this problem. At the same time, pathological problems very often arise as a result of deepening and sharpening of normal psychological problems, their inadequate solution. The classification of mental disorders, as you know, is presented in the DSM and ICD systems. In the classification system of psychological problems, pathological problems, in our opinion, can also be represented as a separate subgroup in the section of psychological problems of the substructure of the psyche where they manifest themselves (this is, of course, a very debatable issue). For example, in the section on psychological problems of thinking, in a separate subgroup, one can present thinking disorders (for example, delirium, disorder of the associative process, etc.).

Let's try to present some characteristics of psychological problems that are important in practical work. First of all, this is the dynamics of psychological problems, i.e. the process of formation, development, actualization / de-actualization, exacerbation / weakening of problems in different periods life of an individual or under different circumstances. Another characteristic of psychological problems is the level of their awareness and critical attitude towards them. In practical work, a specialist often encounters a lack of awareness or denial of their own psychological problems. The position of explaining psychological problems is also important. Patients often explain psychological problems not by psychological, but by objective, independent circumstances. Here an important role is played by the so-called deterministic system of personality, i.e. a system of ideas on the basis of which a person explains the causes of various phenomena, including his own problems. Based on the research of clients who applied to psychological services, we identified biological, socio-economic, mystical and psychological determination systems. These studies also showed that in order to understand and accept their own psychological problems and increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy, it is very important for the patient to switch to a psychological determination system.

Duration of existence, severity are also characteristics of psychological problems. There are chronic psychological problems with which a person lives for a long time and acute problems.

Psychological problems also have individual manifestations, i.e. different people perceive, evaluate and experience the same problem differently. At the same time, in practical work, a specialist usually encounters not one isolated psychological problem, but a system of interrelated, interdependent problems, and the effectiveness of work largely depends on a systematic approach to solving problems, and not a separate problem of the individual. In this regard, we consider it important to introduce into practical psychology such a concept as “psychological problems of personality” or “system of psychological problems of personality”. Like any system, psychological problems also have a hierarchical structure, consisting of central, initial and derivative, or actual and secondary problems. To study the problems of personality means to systematize, to compile a hierarchy (for example, causal) of psychological problems.

The next important issue related to the psychological problems of the individual concerns the strategies for their analysis. Each psychotherapeutic school and even each specialist has its own principles, approaches and traditions of studying psychological problems. The following main approaches can be distinguished: a) analysis of the mechanisms of manifestation of psychological problems; b) analysis of the origin and dynamics of problems; c) analysis of cause-and-effect relationships of problems; d) analysis of the phenomenal characteristics of psychological problems, etc.

The concept of “solution of a psychological problem” also needs clarification. In practical psychology, methods and techniques for solving psychological problems are usually described, but the solution of the problem itself, as a result of psychological work, is rarely analyzed. Meanwhile, it is very important to understand not only the essence of the psychological problem, but also the essence of its solution. In this regard, when working with psychological problems (also in the training of practical psychologists), it is necessary to clarify: a) how do the patient and the psychologist imagine the process of solving the problem, to what extent do these ideas coincide with each other and are realistic? b) What are the patient's strategies for solving (coping strategies) of his psychological problems? c) What options, levels, types, forms, ways of solving psychological problems exist? d) What should be the sequence and time frame for solving problems? e) What will be the consequences of solving problems?

It is possible to single out various forms of solving psychological problems, such as: a) adequate / inadequate; b) everyday / professional; c) neurotic, psychotic, healthy; d) psychological, social, economic, biological, etc. It is possible to distinguish levels of problem solving: a) partial/full; b) solving the problem at the levels of causes, effects, etc. Options for solving a psychological problem can be: a) deactualization of the problem (for example, through its rethinking); b) elimination of factors contributing to the emergence of a problem or interfering with its solution, etc. Ways to solve psychological problems can be identified on the basis of those common strategies, which are used in practical psychology, for example: a) awareness; b) reflection/rethinking; c) suggestion/programming; d) catharsis; e) training; f) desensitization, etc.

Now let's move on to the issue of classification of psychological problems. In the literature on practical psychology, it is difficult to find systematic, holistic studies specifically devoted to psychological problems and their classification. In psychotherapy, sometimes psychological problems are classified on the basis of psychotherapeutic areas, for example, you can find such expressions as “psychoanalytic problems” [McWilliams, 2001], “existential problems” [Grishina, 2011]. Often there are such concepts as "behavioral problems" (usually referring to disorders such as hyperactivity and attention deficit, destructive behavior etc.), “emotional problems” (anxiety, depression). N. D. Linde classifies psychological problems on the basis of "... the difficulty of their solution and in terms of the depth of their rootedness in the personality" [Linde, 2001, p. 26]. The author distinguishes seven levels of psychological problems, for example, the “supernormal level”, “the level of neurosis”, “psychosis” [Linde, 2001, p. 27-30].

Based on many years of experience in psychotherapeutic work, we have developed a model of the classification system of psychological problems [Khudoyan, 2014], which we will try to present below.

Psychological problems can be grouped on the basis of their form and content. In terms of form, psychological problems can be classified according to different criteria. So, according to the criterion of awareness, one can distinguish conscious, poorly conscious and unconscious (usually, deep problems that determine external clearly perceived problems, about which the patient turns to a psychologist, are not recognized). It is possible to distinguish between causal (reflecting the causes of other problems) and investigative (resulting from other problems, for example, anxiety may be the result of an intrapersonal conflict) psychological problems.

In the literature, there is a division of psychological problems into external (for example, negative emotions) and deep (for example, intrapersonal conflicts)

By temporal characteristics, severity and significance for the subject, one can distinguish between old (for example, old grievances) and new, chronic (problems with which a person lives for a long time) and acute, relevant and irrelevant psychological problems.

One can also distinguish between major and minor, complex and simple problems, overt/hidden, real and imagined, solvable/unsolvable, accepted and not accepted by the patient, problems presented by the patient and problems attributed to the patient by relatives or specialists, etc. Psychological problems can also be intrapersonal, interpersonal, intragroup and intergroup (the latter can be considered as socio-psychological problems).

Practical psychology most urgently needs to classify psychological problems on the basis of their content, to single out, group and describe the problems of different personality substructures. It is on this classification that a diagnostic system of psychological problems should be built. Naturally, the construction of such a classification system is possible only through the joint efforts of numerous specialists, but here we will try to present a hypothetical model for constructing such a system.

To classify psychological problems, it is first necessary to identify the areas of their manifestation. We have identified four such areas.

1. Mental sphere of personality.

2. Biological substructure of personality.

3. Personal development, her life path, present and future.

4. The system of relationships personality - environment.

Below we will schematically present the main groups of psychological problems in the selected areas of personality. At the same time, we want to note that both the identified areas and the groups of psychological problems included in these areas are relative, and the model itself does not claim to be complete and accurate.

Problems associated with the mental subsystem of personality

1. Problems of the I system - problems associated with self-awareness, I-concept, attitude towards oneself, with a sense of I, with the integrity of I (inadequate I-concept, narcissism, inferiority complex, depersonalization, dysmorphophobia, split personality, etc.). Problems associated with the substructures of the Self (for example, a weak ego, a strong superego or id), with defense mechanisms (inadequate, immature defense mechanisms, etc.). intrapersonal conflicts. Problems associated with introspection and reflection, with the awareness and verbalization of one's own experiences.
2. Problems with awareness and critical assessment of reality (disorientation in time, space, low level of introspection, intrapunitiveness, etc.).
3. Problems associated with the need-motivational sphere of the individual - loss of the meaning of life, decreased motivation, inadequate needs, frustration of needs, inadequate forms of meeting needs, etc.
4. Problems associated with the volitional sphere of the personality - weak will, abulia, problems with self-control, impulsiveness, underdevelopment of the volitional qualities of the personality, etc.
5. Problems associated with the emotional sphere - increased anxiety, apathy, aggressiveness, depression, inadequate emotions, over-emotionality, emotional immaturity, emotional coldness, etc.
6. Problems associated with the cognitive sphere of the individual - problems and disorders of sensations (for example, poor vision, hearing, senestopathies, etc.), perception (for example, problems with the perception of time, speech, hallucinations, etc.), attention (for example, absent-mindedness), memory (eg, stress amnesia), thinking, and intelligence (eg, comprehension problems, delusional disorders, mental retardation)․ In our opinion, this category can also include such problems as cognitive dissonance, lack of information, etc.
7. Speech problems - stuttering, speech disorders (aphasia, dysarthria, oligophasia, schizophasia, etc.), tachilalia, delay speech development, dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc.
8. Problems associated with the sexual sphere of personality - frigidity, impotence , lack of sexual satisfaction, sexual perversion, problems related to gender identity, etc.
9. Behavioral problems - addictions, impulsive, irrational, inappropriate behavior, enuresis, tic disorders, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, obsessions, deceit, sleep disorders, problems related to food, sexual, behavior, etc.
10. Problems related to temperament and character - character accentuations, psychopathy, sociopathy, negative character traits, etc.
11. Problems related to perception, reactions to stress and coping - inadequate reactions to stress and coping strategies, post-traumatic stress disorders, reduced stress tolerance, etc.
12. Problems of the spiritual, moral and religious spheres of the individual - guilt, moral decline, moral conflict, spiritual crisis, value conflict, fanaticism, problems associated with sects, etc.

Psychological problems associated with the biological subsystem of personality

1. Psychological problems associated with somatic diseases (for example, fear of death due to myocardial infarction, depression in cancer patients, emotional problems with hormonal disorders, etc.),
2. Psychological problems associated with normative stressful biological processes (menstruation, childbirth, menopause, etc.).
3. Psychological problems that contribute to the occurrence of somatic diseases (for example, alexithymia).
4. Somatized psychological problems (eg, somatized depression, conversion disorders).
5. Psychological problems associated with cosmetic surgery, organ transplants, surgical changes in appearance.
6. Psychological problems associated with bodily injuries and deformities, brain poisoning, etc.

Psychological problems associated with the development of the individual, with her life path, present and future

1. Problems associated with deviations of the normative mental and social development(underdevelopment or delayed development of cognitive functions, emotional immaturity, etc.).
2. Problems associated with normative involutionary processes (normative changes in appearance, decreased sexual activity, etc.)
3. Problems associated with non-normative personality development (problems that arise in the process of personal growth, fall, degradation of personality, etc.).
4. Normative and non-normative crises of personality development, crises associated with normative life events (birth of a child, retirement, death of parents, etc.).
5. Problems associated with solving age-related developmental tasks (for example, with the assimilation of speech).
6. Problems related to vocational guidance, career, professional development, etc.
7. Specific problems of certain age periods (teenage problems, problems of late age, etc.), etc.

Psychological problems associated with interpersonal, intergroup relationships and personal living space

1. Psychological problems associated with interpersonal relationships (interpersonal conflicts, rivalry, mutual dislike, love problems, chilling relationships, specific, problems caused by interruption interpersonal relationships, for example, the death of loved ones, the separation of couples, problems associated with the relationship of opposite sexes, friends, relatives, neighbors, etc.).
2. Intra-group psychological problems (problems between the individual and the group, problems between groupings within the group, alienation from the group, etc.)
3. Psychological problems associated with intergroup relationships (ethnic conflicts, rivalry between groups, etc.).
4. Psychological problems of individual spheres of a person's life (family, work, educational psychological problems, specific problems associated with certain specialties, for example, problems in sports, diplomacy, police, etc.).
5. Transgenerational problems (identifications with relatives that make life difficult for a person, anniversary syndrome, etc.).
6. Psychological problems associated with the living space of the individual - lack of housing, poor living conditions, psychological problems associated with the physical effects of the environment (heat, cold, radiation, lack of oxygen, etc.)

Concluding this article, we note that the proposed theoretical model and scheme of the classification system of psychological problems are only an attempt to raise the problem and outline our vision of the contours of its solution. In the future, in our opinion, it is necessary to create a working group of practical psychologists and researchers and develop general theory and diagnostic system of psychological problems.

Abstract

The Psychological Problems: an Essence, Types, Characteristics

The essence of the psychological problems, their main characteristics, concepts related to psychological problems is analyzed in the article. An attempt to classify the psychological problems and to build a model of the classification system of psychological problems on the basis of their content is made. The author suggested establishing a working group for the elaboration of a diagnostic system of psychological problems.

keywords: psychological, psychological problematic of personality, analysis of psychological problems, solution of problem psychological problems classification of psychological problems.

Literature:

1. Blaser A., ​​Heim E., Ringer H., Tommen M. Problem-oriented psychotherapy: an integrative approach: transl. with him. M.: "Class", 1998. Grishina N.V. Existential problems of a person as a life challenge. // Sociology. 2011. No. 4. S. 109-116.
2. Kozlov N.I. Psychologos. Encyclopedia of practical psychology. M.: Ed. Eksmo, 2015.
3. Linde N.D. Fundamentals of modern psychotherapy: textbook. allowance for students. higher textbook establishments. M.: Publishing Center "Academy". 2002.
4. McWilliams N. Psychoanalytic Diagnosis: Understanding Personality Structure in the Clinical Process. M.: Independent Firm"Class", 2001.
5. Khudoyan S.S. On methodological issues of research and teaching of psychological problems of personality // Problems of Pedagogy and Psychology, 2014, No. 3, p. 99-104.
6. D'Zurilla, T. J., Nezu, A. M., & Maydeu-Olivares, A. (2004). Social problem solving: theory and assessment. In E. C. Chang, T. J. D'Zurilla, & L. J. Sanna (Eds.). Social problem solving: Theory, research, and training. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 11-27.
7. Khudoyan S.S. The Effectiveness of Medical Suggestion in Active Conscious State. // The 12th European Congress of Psychology. Istanbul, 2011, 4-8 July. P. 238.

THE STRUCTURE OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM AND HUMAN AS A SUBJECT OF ITS SOLUTION

N.D. LINDE

Department of Developmental Psychology and Acmeology Moscow humanitarian University st. Yunosti, 5/1, 111395 Moscow, Russia

The article considers the internal structure of the psychological problem and its influence on a person as a subject of life. Five main types of psychological problems and six parameters of a person as a subject are shown. It is proved that the presence of a chronic psychological problem leads to the infringement of a person as a subject.

Psychological problem solving is constantly discussed in the literature on psychological counseling and psychotherapy. However, there is no generally accepted description of the structure of what is called a problem, nor complete list possible problems, no idea of ​​what, in principle, should be the solution to the problem. The initial theoretical position also determines the approach to defining the problem: from the point of view of behaviorism, the problem is the lack of necessary skills, from the point of view of cognitive therapy - the presence of errors in thinking, from the standpoint of psychoanalysis - insufficient awareness of one's own defenses and drives, from the point of view of Gestalt therapy - this is incomplete gestalts from the past, etc. However, from the point of view of the subject, this is something else ...

Let's start with a simple logical analysis. A problem becomes a problem if an individual wants to achieve some goal, but he does not succeed. That is, there is always a subject, there is a desire (there is no problem without desire), there is some real or imaginary goal, and there is some kind of barrier, real or imaginary, that does not allow it to be achieved (Fig. 1, a).

If there is no motivation, then there simply cannot be a problem! However, the problem only becomes one when the goal is presented or is unattainable. But not all problems are psychological in nature. If we are dealing with problems external to the individual (economic, political, scientific, social, etc.), then they are solved by external means, that is, a way is found to overcome the obstacle standing in the way. For example, a scientist thinks long and painfully over the task before him, conducts research,

then suddenly there is an insight ... and he shouts in delight: "Eureka!" Now the road is open, and it becomes possible to achieve not only the previously set goal, but many others. Another example: a young man needs money, he finds a job that suits him and solves his financial problem.

It is possible to distinguish various subspecies of a psychological problem, they are presented below in the form conditional schemes(Fig. 1). In all figures (a-e), the circle means some object desired or rejected by the subject, the vertical rectangle - an obstacle, and the arrow - the desire of the individual, or negative pressure on the subject (black arrow), which can also be called the negative desire of the subject or rejection.

Rice. 1. Various subspecies of a psychological problem

As we have said, desire subjectively appears in the form of this or that feeling. Feeling (emotion) binds a person to a particular object. Feeling is an expression of the energy that is directed by the individual to achieve the goal, it serves as that “invisible paw” that has already grabbed the object, although in reality it is unattainable. Another feeling, at the same time as the first, can be directed to holding the barrier, or to rejecting the unwanted object.

Shown in fig. one schemes a-d reflect the primary structure of the problem: a) the feeling is aimed at achieving the goal, the goal and the obstacle can be real or imaginary, the goal can be really or illusory unattainable, or forbidden;

b) the feeling is aimed at getting rid of an unwanted object, the object can be both real and imaginary, as well as external to the subject (for example, an aggressor), or internal (for example, unpleasant memories); simultaneously with repulsion, the object can be attracted with the help of an unconscious feeling (“invisible paw”);

c) ambivalent feelings are experienced towards the same object, there is no barrier, but the subject experiences a confrontation between the forces of attraction and repulsion;

d) two feelings of equal strength are directed to incompatible objects;

e) the subject seeks to get rid of the unwanted object, but this is possible only through contact with another unwanted object (choice of two evils).

In all the above cases, we used the word "object", but the object can be not only an object or another person, but also an activity, situation, moral assessment or feeling that is desirable or, conversely, unacceptable for the subject.

These schemes reflect only the primary (or initial) structure of the problem. In the future, the problem develops and grows, giving rise to numerous symptoms and new difficulties.

Let us give examples of frequently encountered problems in terms of their structure.

The structure of the first type (Fig. 1, a) has the following psychological problems:

Inability to realize dreams or ambitions due to their inadequacy or due to the existence of a psychological barrier;

Grief, heavy loss, "unhappy" love, etc.;

The desire to change the past, to fix what cannot be fixed, to return "last year's snow";

Morally forbidden sexual, aggressive and other desires;

The desire to change other people in one way or another;

Idealistic, fantastic, exaggerated desires, etc.

The structure of the second type (Fig. 1, b) has psychological problems:

The desire to get rid of the undesirable influence of the environment or other people, from which there is no way to get rid, or there is a psychological prohibition on getting rid of;

Obsessive fears, thoughts, actions;

Feelings of guilt for what they have done, suicidal tendencies, experiences of past shame, shame, etc.;

Post-stress experiences (as a result of an attack, disaster, terrorist attack, rape, etc.);

Desire to get rid of shortcomings in accordance with unrealistic principles or standards;

Dependencies different type(emotional, narcotic, etc.), etc.

The third scheme (Fig. 1, c) reflects the problem of ambivalence (that is, the simultaneous desire for an object and its rejection):

Love for a hated, despised or disgusting object;

Desire to achieve goals, success and fear of success;

Gratitude and humiliation, admiration and envy, joy and sorrow,

pleasure and fear at the same time, etc.;

The desire to do and not to do, to say and not to say, to express feelings and hide them, etc .;

Desire to defeat the enemy and fear of him;

The desire for risk, suicide, something morally unacceptable, etc.

The fourth scheme (Fig. 1, d) corresponds to the choice problem:

The desire to have two incompatible options at the same time, not to lose either one or the other;

Choice of two equally attractive options;

Personal immaturity, inability to make choices and take responsibility, fear of error, indecision;

A risky choice that determines fate, win or lose;

Constant throwing from one option to another, fluctuations between hope and despair, etc.

The fifth scheme (Fig. 1, e) corresponds to a situation of no choice, when all options are bad (for example, the life situation is so unbearable that you want to run away from it, but if you do this, it will be worse):

The subject lives with a person intolerable to him, for example, with a domestic tyrant, psychopath or criminal, but is dependent on him;

Social maladjustment, which leads to autism or a homeless lifestyle, etc.;

Moral choice between crime and death, etc.;

Loss of prestige, ruin, another event that led to a subjectively unbearable situation, but any "exit" threatens with even greater losses;

The choice between suicide and disgrace, submission to violence and mortal risk, etc.;

The choice between an unloved husband and a loved one with whom it is impossible to live for economic reasons, etc.

In each of these cases, the subject does something to solve his problem, but if it is not solved, then he constantly experiences strong negative emotions in other words, suffering. Suffering forces him to repress and repress his feelings, to be angry with himself and “this life”, to rationally explain to himself why it happened, to avoid similar situations, to attribute his own motives to others, etc.

The subject resorts to the creation of adaptations (adaptive mechanisms) to continue living despite the presence of a problem. For example, you can pretend that the problem does not exist, give up ambition, or

communication, resorting to alcohol in order to alleviate mental pain ... It is clear that these adaptive mechanisms only complicate the life of the subject and create new problems to which it is necessary to adapt again until a multi-layered “lump” of problems is formed. As a result, the problem with which the subject comes to a consultation with a psychologist is most often not primary, but is on the surface of this conglomerate of unrealized feelings, barriers and adaptive adaptations. The last drop overflowed the “cup of patience”, life was so distorted that it became unbearable to carry this entire complex system on oneself.

It is clear that in the case when a psychologist tries to solve this superficial problem, he begins to encounter the whole system, inconvenient, but well-established and allowing not to notice or not solve the primary problem. Attempts by the psychologist to "disassemble" and "send to the dump" this huge mechanism collide with the resistance of the client. He does not want to review everything, and be left alone with the primary problem, he wants to get rid of some inconvenience. However, if the psychologist manages to get to the “core” of the problem and help the subject get rid of the primary addiction, then the whole mammoth of problems and adaptive mechanisms collapses in an instant, like Koshcheevo’s kingdom, when the hero breaks the tip of a magic needle. This magic needle is the primary emotional fixation on a goal or an obstacle.

In the usual case, the subject does not work on himself, he creates ways to overcome the obstacle or accumulates resources for this. Of course, this is a bit of a simplification. For example, a scientist works on himself, honing his intellect, accumulating knowledge, stimulating his own creativity ... An athlete trains, builds muscle mass or “loses” weight, comes up with new wrestling techniques or types of movements, etc. But this is also external ways, usually they do not affect the personality of a scientist or an athlete. If they begin to work with themselves as subjects of activity, look for the causes of failure in themselves and want to change themselves in order to achieve the desired goals, then they move to the level of psychological work.

The psychological problem is determined by the impossibility of satisfying one or another strong desire (drive, need, motive), but the reasons for this are in the psyche of the individual, in his inner world. There is something wrong there, something hinders even when all the necessary conditions exist for achieving the goal by external means. For example, a man wants female love, but he has an idea of ​​women as deceitful and insidious creatures, naturally, this will not allow him to find his beloved, and he may remain lonely, which in turn will give rise to new problems, etc.

The goal may be unattainable due to objective circumstances, for example, the subject wants the perfect deed not to be done or wants the deceased person to still live with him. He can set himself such inflated goals, present himself with such

unrealistic claims that these desires can never be realized. In this case, the cause of the problem should still be considered psychological factors due to which the subject formed just such goals.

No matter how much we try to solve the psychological problem by external means, it does not lead to success. A person suffers again and again, again and again “steps on the same rake”, again sees no way out, etc. Even Leo Tolstoy, dealing with the then homeless, visited bunkhouses, studying those who lived “at the bottom”. He wrote that they all assured that they wanted to get out of there, but they needed a certain amount of money. Having received the required amount (some 3 rubles, some 10, some more), this subject disappeared from the rooming house for some time, but after a week, two or a month he again found himself in the same place and, apparently, felt “in his place”.

In the case of a psychological problem, the barrier, like the desire of the individual itself, is located inside the psyche of the individual, the goal to which he aspires can be both real and imaginary. The whole drama is played out within the personality, and can only be resolved by internal, psychological means. For example, a man, from the example given above, needs to be disappointed in his conviction about the universal deceit and deceit of women, which acts as an internal barrier to achieving the goal. The trouble is that this belief is based on some traumatic events in the past, when the individual, as it seems to him, became convinced of this character of women. He holds on to this belief because of the emotional energy associated with a particular experience. If you try to convince him of this opinion, then he will resist, sometimes contrary to all logic. Therefore, if one can release the fixed feelings that determine the commitment of the individual to such thoughts, then the barrier will collapse and the problem will be solved.

In this sense, any psychological problem that a person faces can be represented as an individual's fixation on achieving some goal or an obstacle that blocks adequate actions. To more clearly describe our understanding of the structure of the psychological problem, we use the following metaphor. In India, they catch monkeys this way: they hollow out a pumpkin, put a bait inside, leaving a small hole, the monkey sticks a paw into it, grabs the bait, but cannot remove the fist, because it is wider than the hole. The hunter comes up and calmly catches her, because she does not know how to open her fist. So are people, in their imagination they have already grabbed the bait, and with the other hand also the barrier, and now they are caught! Each time, you should think about which “leg” the client should unclench. Sometimes there can be many such "paws", but the initial problem is still one, and when it is solved, then everything else happens by itself, because the "monkey" is now free. Hence the conclusion: the basis of mental health is the inner freedom of the individual.

If the “cam” is unclenched, then many new ways to satisfy the initial need can be found, nothing now holds the subject, and

The number of elections increases many times over. Maybe this goal is no longer needed at all, or maybe other ways to achieve it can easily be found, because new ways are now available. As one movie hero said: “Where you see problems, I see new opportunities!” Such a position is possible only with an internally free, not fixed attitude to problems. In this case, the person does not freeze in one position, so she flexibly finds new solutions that will never come to the mind of a person who is not able to let go of the desired goal.

In a cheerful Finnish song, it is sung: “If the bride goes to another, then no one knows who is lucky!” Only the one who managed to let go of the goal in time, “unclench his paw”, that is, a free person, can sing like that. The one who could not do this would rather say: “So don’t get it for anyone!” or “Did you pray before going to bed, Desdemona?!”

A problem becomes a problem only when some psychic energy is fixed, and for some reason the subject wants and at the same time does not want liberation. A child may cry inconsolably when his balloon has flown away. If this happened to an adult, then his desire easily disappears with the ball. An adult person stops directing the energy of emotions to hold the ball, the energy comes back and he calms down. However, adults have their own desires, which do not always “dissolve” when the “ball” has flown away. Even the Buddha said: "There are two reasons for suffering: when a person cannot achieve what he wants and when he cannot get rid of what he does not want."

Why does the subject not want liberation? Because he believes that then he will surely lose what he “grabbed”, but cannot possess it. He cannot let go of the barrier, because he believes that without it, disaster awaits him. Most often, these representations are illusory, but are based on the same emotional fixation that should be overcome.

For further consideration, it is important to understand that desire always appears in the form of an emotion or feeling that pushes for some kind of action. When a person says “I love you”, this is a feeling, but it is the realization of a desire. Feeling is the result of the orientation of the need for a specific goal. Feeling carries energy, this energy pushes him to action, without feeling or emotion no action can be performed. When this energy is not realized in achieving the goal, a person suffers, that is, he feels the damage he receives from wasted energy and the lack of what he wants. If he does not cease to produce a feeling aimed at achieving the unattainable, then suffering becomes chronic. Thus, only the fixation of feeling on an unattainable goal or an illusory barrier can be the cause of a psychological problem.

Example 1. At one of the seminars, I invited students to show their work. One of the students asked to solve her psychosomatic problem. She experienced constant and severe back pain, this prevented her from sleeping normally, her back hurt in any position. I suggested to her

create an image of this pain. She imagined her as a huge spider sitting on her back. Since the spider usually symbolizes a man, I suggested that she had some serious problem in her relationship with a man. It turned out that her friend is a drug addict, and she is trying to save him from this addiction, but she cannot do anything. We tried different tricks to get rid of the spider on her back. She understood that she still would not be able to save him, that she was sacrificing her health and fate, but for some reason she "couldn't" let him go. Then I invited her to answer on behalf of the spider: “Does he need to be rescued and dragged on his back somewhere, where, perhaps, he is not going?” Thanks to this, the girl realized that he really didn’t need it at all, and therefore he resisted. Immediately she was able to let go of the spider, he disappeared, and the pain in her back went away. On the same evening, she broke off all relations with the drug addict. After some time, she met another man, got married, had a baby, lives happily ever after. Since then, her back has never (at least for the next 4 years) never hurt. She told me this story 4 years after the session, which I even forgot about.

It is clear that in the event that she had not gotten rid of the primary dependence, a lump of problems would have increased. Back pain could be followed by depression, a sense of personal dissatisfaction. This could be followed by internal isolation, conflicts with parents, self-blame, disappointment in men and in family happiness, rejection of social success, falling into illness, etc. These losses and suffering could lead to the formation of new layers of problems with which the client then she would have come to a psychotherapist, but they would not have seen the primary problem, the resolution of which could lead to complete healing. It could, of course, never happen and, fortunately, did not happen.

Currently, psychotherapy uses the so-called multimodal approach, when all symptoms and problematic life situations are recorded in a single table or list, as equally significant factors. This approach is very well outlined in the book by S.A. Kulakov on psychosomatics. However, experienced therapists know that in fact there is one key reason for the existence of this entire system, and one should direct one's influences to it in order to correct it. This is a real systematic approach, when a system-forming factor is searched for, and when it changes, the whole system changes.

This does not mean that any problem can be solved in one session. Often you have to disassemble the "blockages" brick by brick. Solving one problem raises the next problem to be solved, but for every problem there is one. true reason, only one initial intrapersonal conflict, one leading frustrated desire and one obstacle. In the example above, the desire was to save a drug addict friend, and the obstacle was his reluctance to quit drugs. The solution to the problem was to stop saving him and relieve himself of responsibility for his life, since he doesn’t need it anyway.

It would be wrong to understand the task of therapy as follows: to achieve an ideal liberation from any desires and emotions. It makes sense to get rid of only those desires that cause suffering, and in such a way that as a result the health of the subject increases, his sense of happiness and well-being, as well as his ability to productive activity. Each of us has many natural desires that can and should be normally satisfied. The simplest example is the need for respiration. For most people, this need is satisfied easily and simply, without causing any difficulties, so that they do not even notice it. However, in the case when breathing is difficult due to a cold or asthma, then everyone begins to understand how important this need is. The task, of course, is not to stop wanting to breathe freely, but to get rid of the barrier that prevents free breathing. The obstruction to free breathing can be based on hidden or suppressed emotions: if emotions are released or adequately transformed, then breathing will itself be freed, as happened many times in our sessions. Therefore, each time, when working with a psychological problem, one should evaluate which solution would be ecologically more correct: to save the client from emotional fixation on a goal or on an obstacle.

Example 2: A 4th year student reported that she felt an urgent need to drop out. She finds any excuse not to go to college, but she does not understand why. At the same time, she wants to have a higher education, she likes her specialty.

I suggested that she imagine the force that keeps her from learning. “Strength” said: “You can do without higher education...". I asked her, “Did anyone tell you that as a child?” She remembered that her grandmother constantly repeated that she did not graduate from high school (she left in the 4th year) and nothing, you can live without higher education. My grandmother had three children, two of them left the institutes, and one did not study at the university at all.

I invited the girl to introduce her grandmother and tell her: “Grandma, I graduated from high school, I am an excellent specialist and very pleased.” She followed the instructions and "saw" that her grandmother was very angry, and she herself felt guilty before her grandmother. This feeling of guilt "stuck" in the area of ​​​​the diaphragm and simply did not allow her to breathe. "Oh my God, it's my asthma!" - exclaimed the student.

I suggested that she let go of her guilt (releasing with an imaginary sound). When she did this, she suddenly breathed deeply, as she had never breathed in her life. "I just enjoy breathing!" - she said. I asked her to repeat the same words to her grandmother as before. She saw that her grandmother was angry again ... But the student herself did not feel guilty, she did not care, “this is the grandmother’s business, if she wants to, let her be angry!”.

The girl continued to study and successfully graduated from high school. Several times during this time she told me how she was breathing freely and enjoying her breath.

Thus, in the course of the session, the barrier (the Goulding parental prescription) was removed, preventing the realization of the normal desire to learn and breathe freely.

Example 3. The girl dreamed of starting a family, having a loved one, but she was convinced that no one would love her, because she was ugly. This was not true, but she thought so, because her father spoke negatively about her figure in childhood, in addition, he never hugged her, etc. She asked the therapist to help her get rid of her sexual desires altogether, so that live in peace. It is clear that this request was impossible, she was already depressed, suppressing her natural feelings. So the therapist refused to enter into such a contract and concentrated on discrediting her father's claims, which was not easy to do because she loved her father. When the work was done, the depression passed, she met young man and is now married.

This example also shows that the solution to the problem can be the removal of emotional fixation on the barrier that prevents the realization of natural desires.

Subject and psychological problem. Since psychotherapy considers the client as a subject, it is necessary to elaborate this concept in the context of the structure of the psychological problem. But first it should be said that a person can be both a subject and an object at the same time, depending on the role that he plays in a certain social action. For example, when he independently decides whether to go to the dentist or not, then he is the subject, but in the dentist's chair he is the object of treatment, despite the fact that he experiences very strong subjective experiences, in the context of which he, of course, is the subject. , however, this does not change its object role in the context of the doctor's manipulations.

It cannot be said that being a subject is always good and being an object is always bad, it all depends on the context. When we voluntarily allow a dentist to treat our teeth or a driver to drive us in a car, there is nothing wrong with that. To be an object of one's own will means to retain subjectivity, but to trust other things or circumstances to act without your intervention. Behavior of this type corresponds to the well-known Chinese principle of Yin, and the active manifestation of subjectivity corresponds to the principle of Yang.

It is bad when a person is in the position of an object against his will, if, for example, he is in prison or cannot solve his psychological problem and is in a state of psychological impasse. In this case, he is not able to act freely, that is, subject-but (not subjectively, namely subjectively), even if he knows how to act. In the future, we will consider just such a state of a person-object.

The task of the psychotherapist is to free a person from this slavish dependence, to make him more of a subject in the context

traumatic situation, which will allow him to find an adequate solution. An analogy with a living butterfly planted on a needle is appropriate here. The butterfly is free everywhere and quite viable, except for one point where it is pierced and attached to the paper. Because of the point where she cannot overcome her objectivity, no matter how she tries to flap her wings, her whole life activity suffers. The task is to take out the needle, return to it the lost subjectivity, and the butterfly will fly away.

In philosophical terms, the problem of the subject and freedom was posed by N. Berdyaev. The first to pose the problem of the client as a subject in psychotherapy and create client-centric therapy was one of the founders of humanistic psychology, K. Rogers. He postulated the presence in a person of his own, internal forces of health and self-development. But he considered this topic exclusively in the aspect of the subjective inner world of a person, for example, in the aspect of his subjective "I-concept".

A more complete understanding of a person as a subject is achieved through the opposition of a person as a subject and a person as an object. We can distinguish the following six differences between a person as a subject and him as an object, which significantly clarifies the essence of psychotherapeutic influence.

The subject shows free activity, this is expressed in three main types of actions:

1) initiative, that is, in spontaneous, independent undertakings, proposals, etc.;

2) decision making, in particular, choosing from a number of alternatives;

3) self-realization, that is, independent actions to implement their decisions and intentions.

The ability to initiate, make decisions and self-realization allows the subject to act, and actions allow you to find a way out of a seemingly impasse.

A person in the state of an object, on the contrary, is not free in his actions, his behavior is determined, he is well predictable, because he is devoid of spontaneity, is in a rigid dependence on something. Instead of taking the initiative, he is in a state of eternal expectation of something, for example, instructions and instructions from his superiors, advice from a friend, the second coming, a miracle, etc.

The main thing is that he does not even try to help himself, to change something in his life. He does not make decisions, but transfers responsibility for decisions to someone else. Instead of self-realization, he easily submits to circumstances or other people's influence, sometimes acts automatically and even to the detriment of himself.

Observing ethical principles, I should note that the ideas about the 6 parameters of subjectivity were expressed orally by the psychologist G.K. Lo-khin about 15 years ago. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to him.

The concept of personal autonomy is key to psychotherapy. The subject who denies autonomy disclaims responsibility for his own state and behavior, avoids solving problems and appears before the psychologist as a “victim” of an insidious disease.

The subject has a rich, versatile inner world and makes decisions based on his own understanding of the situation, his interests, and the consequences of his actions. He is well aware of his feelings, even if they are negative, and does not deceive himself. A rich and versatile inner world allows you to make adequate decisions and find a way out where it is not visible at first.

In the state of the object, the inner world of a person, as it were, remains “outside the game” and gradually becomes impoverished and simplified. A person acts without understanding the motives of his behavior and is not aware of his own feelings.

There is a separation of consciousness and real behavior, a conflict arises between them: a person acts contrary to internal goals, goes against his own conscience, etc. Or he lives like a biorobot, following once and for all approved rules and programs, without even thinking about their adequacy or compliance with them. reality.

The subject is able to change, he can form some new qualities in himself, change his behavior, he can be spontaneous and open to a new quality, new experience. Therefore, he can find new ways of behaving to solve the problem.

In the state of an object, a person, on the contrary, is not able to change in relation to some problem situation, his behavior is stereotypical, he does not perceive the new if it contradicts the established forms of behavior or established ideas. For example, a person who assures everyone that he needs to quit smoking, while doing nothing to really quit, but he can clearly explain to everyone who wants to help him why any proposed method of quitting smoking will not suit him. At the same time, in other respects, he retains his subjectivity and is able to change, but remains, as it were, paralyzed, motionless or walking in an enchanted circle. Sometimes, the more he tries to free himself, the more he becomes entangled.

The subject is capable of independent development, self-improvement, that is, today he can cope with tasks that are more complex than those that he solved yesterday, and tomorrow he will solve even more complex problems that he still cannot do today. This applies to intellectual and creative abilities, and to the personal growth of a person. The latter is especially important for psychotherapy, because the subject on the way of his development constantly faces more and more complex problems and, solving them, improves himself.

A person who is “stuck” in some personal problem loses to some extent his ability for personal growth, and thus becomes like an object that does not develop. In this case, it implements the reproduction

tive rather than creative patterns of behavior. In principle, he is capable of changes, but they all lie in the same plane of development, are at the same level and do not allow solving the problem (according to this scenario: “I tried this and this ..., - nothing helps ). For solutions new problem sometimes you need to reach a new level of personal growth.

The subject in his today's actions and decisions proceeds from some idea of ​​his future, builds some personal perspective. In particular, this is expressed in a sense of the meaningfulness of one's existence (see V. Frankl's concept of the meaning of life). For the sake of the future, a person is able to endure enormous hardships “here and now”, and a sense of the prospect of life, an open horizon is a necessary condition for healthy well-being, self-confidence, the ability to spend efforts on one’s development, etc. An open personal perspective allows the subject to consider today’s problem as some transient moment of life that helps in overcoming it.

In the position of an object, a person loses this perspective, having become dependent on some, perhaps private problem, he feels his “immuredness”, the futility of life and his impotence, he, as they say, gives up. A sense of the meaninglessness of life can also arise when a perspective is clearly, rigidly set, planned for a person, when nothing can be changed anyway. Feelings of apathy and hopelessness are common in psychotherapeutic practice, they are natural companions of the impasse in which the client finds himself.

The subject's life is multidimensional; it flows simultaneously, as it were, in many planes. It is often impossible to say which parameter is the most important, all of them are necessary for a full existence. It can be a family, and work, and a hobby, and sports, and spiritual interests, and just rest, etc. Each of these parameters is also multidimensional in itself, contains many aspects that are significant for the subject, forming a complex context of his life. . The multidimensionality of life allows you to switch to some other plane of life, if one of them has a problem. stalemate. It can be bypassed in this way, and then returned to the problematic plane again.

A strong reduction in the number of dimensions (plans) of life makes the subject insufficiently maneuverable to solve the problem. He is not able, as they say, to approach the problem from the other side. This is what happens when a person enters the state of an object, in which for him one aspect of life begins to “overshadow” all its other aspects, such as drinking for an alcoholic or drugs for a drug addict. In the state of the object, a person becomes monoparametric, monofunctional, the rest of life revolves around one sore spot. Gestalt healthy life collapses, and a new, already pathological gestalt can form. For example, drunkenness can serve as a compensation for scandals in the family, scandals in the family can compensate for feelings of inferiority, etc. The basis of this is “jamming” at some point in life, some problem, when a person no longer sees anything else.

In table. 1 summarizes the above differences between a person as a subject and as an object of life.

Table 1

Comparative qualities of a person as subject and object

Subject Object

Activity: a) initiative; b) decision making; c) self-realization Determination: a) expectation; b) rejection of decisions; c) performance

2. Reliance on the inner world, understanding 2. Reliance on the outside world, incentives

3. Ability to change 3. Immutability, stability

4. Ability for self-development 4. Stereotypical behavior

5. Acts on the basis of the future, prospects 5. Hopelessness, hopelessness

6. Multidimensional existence 6. Monoparametric existence

The qualities listed above are complete system, the loss of one of the qualities of which leads to serious violations, even to a violation of subjectivity in general, and the presence of all six qualities is sufficient for its full existence.

So, on the one hand, free subjectivity allows a person to easily solve problems; on the other hand, fixation on a particular problem reduces the degree of its subjectivity and brings it closer to the state of the object.

The qualities of subjectivity suffer from the fact that the individual fell into one or another psychological trap as a result of rigid fixation on one or another unattainable goal or fictitious barrier, was deprived of this or that ability of the subject to flexibility and creative problem solving. He lost his freedom, and therefore his activity, reliance on the inner world, variability, development, perspective and multidimensionality, which provided an opportunity to find a way out of a seemingly impasse.

Now we can finally formulate: psychological health is a full-fledged subjective state of the individual. All psychological problems are one form or another of a bound subject state and its approximation to an object state. The problem is solved by freeing the subject from the fixation that binds it.

The paradox of psychological problems is that usually a client comes to a psychotherapist in the hope of shifting the burden of responsibility onto him and maintaining his state of objectivity in a new form. Help lies in making a person stronger, freer, trying

he must have a state of subjectivity in him, so that he can get out of his psychological impasse, otherwise after a while he will fall into it again. The paradox also lies in the fact that if he already had a sufficient degree of subjectivity to free himself, he would not come for help.

Therefore, help is needed in order to eliminate the pathogenic fixation, which the client cannot (or does not want) to get rid of on his own. Since the fixing force is the feeling, then in some way it is necessary to eliminate or weaken it.

Representatives of various areas of therapy solve this problem in their own way or do not set such a problem at all, in accordance with their inherent idea of ​​the structure of a psychological problem. Psychoanalysis helps the client to become aware of his feelings, behavioral therapy forms the skills of adequate behavior, cognitive therapy corrects thinking errors, etc. The possibility of a direct impact on the binding feeling is practically not considered, with the exception of methods of re-experiencing affect and reacting.

Emotional-figurative therapy is based on the idea of ​​transforming a pathogenic feeling that fixes the subject, with the help of mental influences on the image of this feeling. Scientific and practical aspects of this method will be discussed in the next article.

LITERATURE

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THE STRUCTURE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM AND THE PERSON AS SUBJECT OF ITS SOLUTION

The internal structure of a psychological problem and its influence on the person as a subject of life activity is considered in the article. Five basic types of psychological problems and

six parameters of the person as subject are shown. It is proved that the presence of a chronic

psychological problem leads to the infringement of the person as subject.

Good evening. You are tormented by the question of how to determine the psychological problem, which, judging by the psychosomatics you presented, has a place to be. Please, here is the answer to your question, read and determine under what conditions you had a psychological problem and what it is))) Small professional advice Answer honestly to yourself the questions I have posed. These questions are essential in getting you the right diagnosis.

A bit of methodology, so that you understand what I'm talking about. Any somatic disease is “a process of interaction of a disease-causing influence with an organism capable of perceiving this influence in an appropriate way.” That is, each person in one case or another has certain predispositions to inherit a psychosomatic disease, which, in turn, depends on the conditions of the environment in which the person lives. The cause of any psychosomatic disease is exogenous and endogenous conditions, which allow us to call some psychological diseases polyetiological. So.

1. Tell me, why did you talk about the situation in the present tense? It is now you have silence, but smooth surface - God's grace, and before, what was before? What was your situation before? Psychological illnesses, you know, could be provoked either by a traumatic situation, or by somatic illnesses, and so on.

2. Tell me, what type of GNI do you have? To answer you professionally, we need to know him. As an example, people with a strong type of higher nervous activity, stress-resistant, after a sharp shake-up, can easily become ill with neuroses.

3. Tell me how emotional you are? Is your emotionality, is it lowered or increased, what is its cyclicity and exchange shifts, etc.?

4. Tell me, why didn't you tell about how the competitive career struggle went, how emotional overloads were experienced, etc.? This is also an essential condition for the emergence of psychosomatics.

5. Tell me, why didn't you tell about the peculiarities of your health? For example, maybe you have a vascular pathology or residual consequences, a traumatic brain injury, an individual intolerance to the meteotropic factor and solar splashes, etc.

Remember, psychomatics is a programmed pathogenetic process that includes: physiological (including reflex), biochemical, electrophysiological, mental reactions and structural changes in organs and tissues. The body responds to a wide variety of different pathogenic causes with a limited set of reactions. The choice of reaction, its direction, quality, measure - all this is determined by the capabilities of the personality's organism itself.

And further. Familiarize yourself with the main periods of psychosomatic illness: prodromal - the period of the earliest symptoms, manifest - the period of the peak of the disease, the period of reverse development and reduction of symptoms and the attenuation of the activity of the disease process. Might come in handy.

And in conclusion. As a good example, the time of the appearance of psychosomatics, with depression

I hope everything became clear and understandable to you - in order to give you a professional answer that suits you, we need to know at least the answers to the questions that I asked you. One more question for backfilling. How would you react to a client who came to your office and demanded a momentary demonstration of your professionalism from you, and what would you do in this situation?

Wisdom to you. Lydia.

P.S. Dear customer, our experts have spent their time and their professional knowledge to answer your question. Please show your good manners: choose the best answer and mark the answers of other experts.

People need to think about themselves. Think about your social life (study, profession, business, career ...), about your health (after all, a sick body causes a lot of trouble, problems and pain), about your family (about close adults and children, even sometimes about your favorite animals who are considered family members), about their own appearance (a unkempt, ugly appearance is now evidence of laziness and promiscuity in the modern world, and not a lack of natural beauty), about their own soul (a unkempt soul, full of problems, causes no less suffering to its owner than material poverty, lack of physical health and social upheavals in the country…).

Thinking and attentive people, when they understand or feel that something is wrong or not right in their life, the first thing they want to do is to understand themselves. This is very important, useful and interesting. After all, thanks to this, you can change and improve a lot in your life. You can do this on your own, by reading a variety of literature, watching movies, talking with friends, traveling, hobbies and more. Or you can try to understand yourself with the competent help of a psychologist. The latter is more efficient, faster and more interesting. After all, a psychologist knows much more about the soul and can help much more effectively than a simple layman.

There are many reasons in connection with which a person has a desire to understand himself. But there is, in our opinion, the most basic, which includes almost everything - this ... Recently, this concept has become widely known. It turns out that not everything in life changes for the better by solving material difficulties, health problems or a career, there is an area of ​​\u200b\u200bproblems that lie only inside the human soul and almost do not depend on external factors.

What is a psychological problem and where does it come from?

If the causes of discomfort, failures, any dependence, dissatisfaction and other things are mainly in the psyche (in the soul) of a person, and the external circumstances of life only aggravate the internal causes ...

If this condition causes a person obvious or hidden suffering ...

If a person with great difficulty manages to change himself and the situation around him, but even having changed something, he does not receive satisfaction and spiritual comfort ...

Then we can safely say that the problem is predominantly psychological, internal, and not external, social. And this is good because in this case a psychologist can help a person become satisfied with himself and his life. It is enough to apply labor, time and competence, and the problem can most likely be solved.

Usually arises when a person has an unconscious internal fixation on some object or subject, as if connected (according to the person himself) with the achievement of a desired goal. And any person has only two types of desires - either to get something (to have, to be, to become, to realize, to possess, etc.), in other words, "the desire for ...", or to get rid of something (run away, destroy, leave, push away, free, etc.), in other words, "the desire from ...". If this is not achieved in any way, there is a problem.

Schematically (in a playful metaphor), this can be depicted as follows:

1. For example, a hedgehog really wants an apple. But there is a barrier in front of him - a stump. The hedgehog would take, and go around the stump on the side and get the coveted apple. But for internal reasons, he cannot bypass the stump in any way. Here he stands, poor fellow, in front of a stump, tormented and dreaming of an apple ... So is a person with a psychological problem. There is always some cherished goal or object or subject of desires. And there is a certain barrier subjectively preventing you from getting what you want. The nature of the barrier is the psychological impossibility of overcoming or circumventing it.

2. Another version of the problem is expressed in the same subjective barrier that prevents you from avoiding or getting rid of something. The hedgehog was frightened in the forest of a monster - a dog. Frightened, he rolled under a stump and could not get out, go around the stump and run away. He sits under a stump, sticks out needles, is afraid and is at risk... Just like a person wants to avoid something, but there is an obstacle that seems insurmountable. And in no way can a person overcome an internal barrier. Like a stupid prickly hedgehog, he sees an insurmountable obstacle on his way, and psychologically “hides himself” in a corner, and is inactive or his attempts do not lead to success. And the interference interferes and presses only for internal (psychological) reasons! The situation is heating up, and “needles” are used - the so-called psychological defenses.

3. Now imagine a hedgehog who smelled a delicious apple and really wants it, but at the same time he can’t cope with the stump on his way ... he can’t figure out and cope with the task of “how to get around the stump”? At the same time, the same hedgehog smelled a terrible dog near the apple tree, which he is mortally afraid of ... And the hedgehog rushed away, but stumbled upon another stump, got stuck at its roots and could not figure out that the side of the stump could quickly run around and get away from the "danger" ... He sits, poor fellow, between two stumps, snorts at the whole forest, beats the air with needles ... not an apple ... nor salvation from a terrible dog ... A continuous problem !!!

That. we wanted to metaphorically and jokingly illustrate a very serious pattern - often the problem is of a dual nature. Those. on the one hand, a person unconsciously strives for a cherished goal, but cannot achieve it due to internal psychological reasons(complexes, non-constructive behavior, stress, lack of skill, etc.). And on the other hand, for the same internal psychological reasons, he is afraid to achieve his cherished goal (someone or something threatens to be punished for trying to solve it). In addition, in many cases this mechanism occurs unconsciously or, at best, semi-consciously.

So it turns out that all the components of a psychological problem are subjective!

Subjective impossibility to overcome the barrier (well, the hedgehog can’t get around the stump in any way, this is beyond his hedgehog strength)

Ways to achieve the goal are destructive (sitting by the stump and dreaming of an apple or hiding under the stump and snorting at the dog, and not reaching and not fighting or fleeing)

Deep connection (dependence) with past experience (memory, associations, "anchors" ...)

Often there is actually no desire to constructively solve the problem, but there is a desire to “play” around the solution (there is always a “psychological benefit” from a problem, even from the most difficult one, it’s just that this benefit is not conscious) ...

It is beneficial for a hedgehog to be heroic, even got into the picture .... That's when the dog leaves and takes away the apple, the hedgehog returns home, although sad and unhappy from what happened, but tells his hedgehog family what a hero he was and everyone admires him. There is always a psychological benefit in the most terrible situation, even if it is the benefit of suffering. All these subjective components give rise to a strong uncontrollable attachment to the problem (this is how a hedgehog goes all his life to sniff an apple and snort at a terrible dog) ... and then get the delight of loved ones. And it looks like a kind of “pit” where you fell into and you sit in it ... you sit ... you sit ... and you can’t get out.

We have given a metaphor for the structure of a psychological problem, but what kind of content can it be?
The most common options:

intrapersonal conflict is a conflict within the psychological world of the individual. This is a clash of opposite desires, interests, values, goals, ideals, individual parts of the personality. The conflict proceeds in the form of severe emotional experiences (explicit or hidden).

Psychological trauma- various damage to the psyche after affective (very strong and destructive) experiences. The events that caused such destructive experiences can be very diverse: isolation, illness, death of a loved one, childbirth, divorce, stress, conflicts, military operations, danger to life, rape, etc.). These events, having a powerful effect on the psyche, disrupt perception, thinking, emotions, behavior, making a person inadequate.

Frustration is a mental state of experiencing failure that occurs when there are real or imaginary insurmountable obstacles to the goal. Frustration is accompanied by anger, irritation, guilt, resentment, etc.

Neurotic reactions and conditions- fears, anxiety, anxiety, phobias, obsessive-compulsive states, neurotic reactions, depressive reactions that occur as a reaction to a difficult life situation. In all these manifestations, the core experience can be psychotrauma, intrapersonal conflict, stress, maladaptation, frustration, etc.

parenting costs- learning certain habitual emotions in childhood; parental restrictions on positive feelings(prohibition on self-love, repressed anger, repressed sadness, repressed sexuality, etc.); parental orders for negative emotions (inferiority complex, feeling of rejection, destructive attitudes and stereotypes), etc.

Psychosomatic disorders- somatic (physiological and physical) disorders (diseases) caused by emotional causes. Body and soul are very closely related. If there is tension in the soul (even unconscious), then the body will definitely react to this with symptoms, syndromes, dysfunction, illness.

Problems of the meaning of life (existence) and self-realization- experiences of the correctness or incorrectness of one's life path, freedom of choice, problems of self-determination and self-expression. The desire to find the meaning of their existence. When the desire is not realized, the person feels an existential vacuum.

Interpersonal conflicts- explicit and hidden conflicts with other people, bringing costs to the psyche. Family conflicts (different value orientations, problems with children, sexual problems, feeling of misunderstanding and resentment, infidelity, threats of divorce) Conflicts at work (conflict situations, emotional stress, chronic fatigue syndrome, stress, discontent, irritation, feeling that this interferes with mutual understanding , work and career development). Conflicts with friends (irritation, envy, competitive feelings, resentment). Conflicts with strangers (conflict situations on the street, in transport, indoors with strangers on their or your initiative).

Age and stage crises- in each age period, a person experiences certain crises. This is completely normal. It is not normal if a person is not ready for this.

Lack of skills or deformed skills- problems in communication, dating, self-confidence, interviews, self-presentation, etc.

Disharmonious self-concept- each person has several images of his "I" - I am real, I am in the eyes of other people, I am ideal, etc. (a whole hierarchy of n-structures). This is the essence of personality and this is the originality of personality and its problems. Often personal originality gives rise to psychological problems, because a person acts in accordance with what he thinks about himself, and this is far from always objective.

In any case, all this leads to the fact that a person cannot achieve what he wants! Is it necessary to achieve this most desired? Does the hedgehog really need an apple in our metaphor? Maybe survive without an apple, eating mushrooms and frogs? And one could overcome oneself and inspire oneself that it seems like one can survive without this desired ... but ... no! The soul will still strive for the goal not in this way, but in another way. Life is one, and your soul wants to live well and happily. Therefore, it is unlikely that the hedgehog will miss the apple (well, maybe he will pretend, nothing more), but he will become stronger in the depths of his hedgehog soul to dream about it. Because an apple is not an end in itself, an apple is a step towards happiness! And happiness is a lot, and not only for a hedgehog, but also for a person.