Basic conflict

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The basic conflict is a technical term from psychoanalysis and depth psychology and describes a "central" infantile conflict in a person's life development. The term was formed by Sigmund Freud . In order to cope with such a conflict, it is necessary to choose between two goals that are mutually exclusive and contradicting each other. Since these basic conflicts are always about deciding more for one or more for the other side of the conflict, they are also called " ambivalence conflicts". Guideline psychotherapy in Germany distinguishes between basic conflicts and current conflicts. Psychoanalysis and analytical psychotherapy aim to deal with the solution of basic conflicts and the corresponding personality structures, while depth psychology-based psychotherapy deals more with current unconscious conflicts, which, as derivatives of the basic conflicts in the current experience of the patient, lead to the formation of symptoms and the current crisis contributed.

description

Inner conflicts between contradicting needs are something quite normal human and everyday. There may be one side that wants to be close to the partner and another that wants to be isolated and alone, or one side wants freedom and independence, while another side seeks security and domesticity, or one side wants each other adapt and be inconspicuous, while another wants to rebel and defend herself.

Psychodynamic theories deal with disturbances in the resolution of such internal conflicts. Burdens or disturbances occur when a person has not been able to develop an appropriate strategy to resolve a conflict. Inappropriate and rigid strategies in dealing with child developmental tasks lead to a neurotic personality structure. The unresolved basic conflict is largely compensated for by defense mechanisms. The patient is largely symptom-free or the neurotic structure is so rigid and unadjusted that it itself becomes an interpersonal problem. In this case the structural level is not sufficiently developed. This is the case with personality disorders. However, it usually only becomes problematic when there are currently stressful situations (temptation and failure situations) that lead to a failure of the previously more or less functional neurotic defense. The new solution is only possible with more structured patients with symptom formation or with lower structural levels with a breakdown of the defense and crisis-ridden emotional flooding.

If part of the conflict is unconscious and cannot be perceived because it had to be repressed to protect the as yet less mature personality , the conflict cannot be resolved consciously.

That means if a person in childhood z. B. has not experienced sufficient security or has been seriously disappointed in this basic need, he can / must suppress the desire for it or the fear of disappointment of this desire very well. The need for security or the fear of disappointment may never reappear in a conscious conflict, but the adult later suffers from being unable to experience moments of deep security and calm. Neurotic conflict resolution is always associated with a restriction of the possibilities of human experience. There is a risk of decompensating or developing symptoms in current trigger situations.

Since Freud, in the further development of psychoanalysis , new concepts have been presented again and again in which the basic human conflicts have been differentiated and specified. The development of new conflict theories is closely linked to research into basic needs and increasing knowledge from developmental psychology . The most differentiated and now recognized model of unconscious conflicts is described in the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics (OPD).

Basic conflicts according to the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics (OPD)

The psychodynamic approach sees the basic conflicts as part of human development from the point of view of conflict processing. The OPD distinguishes between eight unconscious conflict types, according to which eight conflict types can be determined. In order to make a treatment diagnosis, the patient is classified into the predefined and circumscribed / operationalized conflict types according to the status of his development and maturation. A clear assignment of a person to a single type of conflict is often not possible, however, because several basic conflicts have often been inadequately managed.

1. Dependency vs. Individuation: In one extreme, a person with this basic conflict would look for a relationship that creates dependency as a “welcome dependency”, while in the other extreme he would build up an emotional independence and suppress the desire for attachment.

2. Submission vs. Control: In one extreme, people accept the circumstances as a fate to which they submit, while experience and behavior are characterized by obedience and submission. At the other extreme, control and rebellion (“fighting”) determine experience and behavior.

3. Supply vs. Autarky: In one extreme, the desire for care and security leads to strong dependency, and people appear passive and clinging. At the other extreme, people do not accept help and fend off the desire for help by presenting themselves as undemanding. In an altruistic conflict management, others receive the care they unconsciously long for.

4. Self-worth vs. Object value: There are conflicts of self-worth, which in one extreme are experienced as inferiority , while others are valued or idealized. At the other extreme, compensatory efforts are made that support the self-image to the point of megalomania , while others are devalued.

5. Super-ego and guilt conflicts: In one extreme, the assumption of guilt leads to masochistic submission. At the other extreme, people see the guilt only in the other, and lack any form of guilt of their own.

6. Oedipal-sexual conflicts: In one extreme, people do not perceive their eroticism and sexuality; in the other extreme, they determine all areas of life without any satisfaction. This does not mean sexual dysfunction of any other origin.

7. Identity conflicts: If the ego functions are otherwise sufficient, the person takes on the gender, role or group identity of others or overcomes the ambivalence of identity in a compensatory way.

8. Lack of perception of conflict and feelings : In this basic conflict, conflicts, feelings and needs in oneself and others are not perceived, or they are replaced by factual, technical or philosophical descriptions.

Different models of the basic conflicts

Brief overview of different successive theoretical views on the psychoanalytic understanding of intrapsychic conflict situations:

According to the drive theory

Sigmund Freud developed his drive theory in several phases (around 1905 to 1914 for the first phase) and always constructed a dualistic model, with the new one replacing the previous one:

The conflict here describes a physical state of tension that causes discomfort and should be relieved; instead, a "feeling of pleasure" should be evoked. This so-called pleasure principle is contrasted with the reality principle, which, due to external circumstances, pleads for the postponement of immediate satisfaction or completely opposes the pleasure principle. After Freud's id human behavior is much more of the subconscious conflicts between instinctual impulses There , the strictly evaluated superego and reality-oriented I determined.

In the context of self psychology

Stavros Mentzos defines five phase-typical conflicts in the child's psychological development, based on Heinz Kohut's object-relationship psychology (self-psychology) :

  • Symbiotic fusion against subject-object differentiation (1st year of life)
  • Dependency on autonomy (2nd - 3rd year of life)
  • Dyadic versus triadic relationship (Oedipal conflict) (4-6 years of age)
  • Security in the family against the opportunities and risks of the peer group ( puberty , latency , adolescence )
  • Infantile (= childlike) ties against genitality and identity (in detachment from parents)

Description using motivational systems

Lichtenberg differentiates between five different motivational systems that can conflict with one another, which he concludes from the results of the infant observation:

  • the biological need to meet physiological needs
  • an elementary need for attachment that later expands into a need for belonging
  • the need to explore things and assert oneself
  • the need to respond aversively to unpleasant stimuli, through contradiction or withdrawal
  • the need for sensual pleasure, tenderness and sexual arousal

See also

literature

  • Michael Wolf (Ed.): Self, Object and the Basic Conflict . Brandes & Apsel Verlag, 2001, ISBN 3860993054
  • Gerd Rudolf: The basic depressive conflict and its processing. Disease patterns as a result of the basic depressive conflict. In: Psychotherapeutic medicine and psychosomatics . 2000, Stuttgart, pp. 149-207

swell

  1. ^ Working group OPD: Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics OPD-2. The manual for diagnostics and therapy planning Huber, Bern 2006 ISBN 978-3456842851
  2. ^ Leichsenring, Falk (editor): Textbook of Psychotherapy, Vol. 2 Psychoanalytical and depth psychologically founded therapy; 2004, ISBN 3-932096-32-0
  3. Mentzos, Stravos: Neurotic Conflict Processing . Fischer, Frankfurt / Main (1982, 1984), ISBN 3-596-42239-6
  4. Lichtenberg, JD / Lachmann, FM / Fosshage, JL The Self and the Motivational Systems Brandes & Apsel Frankfurt am Main 2000 ISBN 3-86099-161-2 book review
  • Ermann, Michael (pp. 87–115 Psychoanalytic Development and Structure Diagnostics) Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy (1995/2007) 5th revised edition, W. Kohlhammer GmbH Stuttgart ISBN 978-3-17-019664-3