What is sublimation in psychology and how to learn to sublimate sexual energy?

There are situations when it is useful to transform your unspent energy into anything. Often under such a transfer is meant the transformation of sexual energy into creativity. We propose to know what sublimation is, and how to sublimate the libido.

Sublimation - what is it?

Not everyone knows the meaning of the word sublimation. This term is understood as the protective mechanism of the psyche , which is the removal of internal tension by redirecting energy to achieve the set goals, creativity. The main components are:

  1. The transition of energy from the object of instinctual attraction to objects of cultural significance.
  2. Transformation of emotions that can accompany human activity.
  3. The liberation of the psyche from the instincts that prevail.
  4. The transformation of instincts into a form acceptable to society.

Sublimation in philosophy

The term sublimation in philosophy is the switching of a part of energy from socially and culturally unacceptable and, one might even say, low-lying goals, to socially significant, sublime ones. The idea of ​​this mechanism is described in one of the works of the German writer Jung Stilling and in the works of the German philosophers Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. This concept was first discovered by Freud. An example of such transformations can be the sublimation of sexual desires into aesthetic or religious ones.

Sublimation in psychology

Experts say that sublimation in psychology is a mechanism of the psyche that has protective properties from internal tension that is caused by certain circumstances in order to redirect energy to achieve the goal. Thus, it can be argued that every impulse that is unacceptable to a person can be used positively, directed at constructive activity, and not at destruction. Examples of such a redirection in life:

  1. The work of a policeman is a redirection of a propensity for violence.
  2. Specialty pathologist - sublimation of interest in the dead, death and corpses.
  3. Work as a surgeon is the transition of inclination towards sadism.
  4. Creative activity, success in science - redirection of sexual energy .

Sublimation - the mechanism of psychological defense

Sublimation is understood as one of the mechanisms of protecting the human psyche, which is able to relieve tension in conflict situations. To sublimate means to transform the instinctive forms of the psyche into socially important forms of activity for society and for man himself. Aggression can get a relaxation in sports, or in very strict methods of education, and eroticism is sublimated in creativity and friendship. In those cases when the natural discharge of instinctual drives is impossible, one can find an activity where these impulses can find application.

Sublimation of Freud

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the concept of the mechanism was used by the creator of the psychoanalytic doctrine of man and the culture of Sigmund Freud. His concept of art asserts that sublimation is transferring the main source and the root cause of the creative process, artistic works, spiritual culture. A well-known Austrian psychiatrist said that the meaning of transformation is that a natural attraction can move to another goal that is far from sexual satisfaction.

The energy of the instincts can be transformed into a morally-positive one and one that corresponds to the aesthetic standards of society. It can be energy related creativity. In connection with this understanding of the possibilities for the transition of natural instincts inherent in man and their orientation toward the higher goal, the psychoanalytic significance of art may border on the absolutization of activity.

Sublimation in women

Each person has his own preferences in life, and therefore it is clear that we can all transform different energy in different ways. Women's sublimation has its own characteristics. For a lady, the sublimation of love is often actual. The fair sex has not so few options for energy transfer. A woman can transform her accumulated energy into:

Sublimation in men

To transfer their sexual impulses to anything else and at the same time make a real masterpiece as a result - to the power of representatives of both sexes. This explains what sublimation is. There are several options, as men sublimate energy:

  1. With a head plunged into professional activity. In other words, all their strength is given to a career, and for other promises and aspirations, there is simply no spiritual and physical reserves left.
  2. Begin to engage in creativity. In such days, real masterpieces can be obtained, which only great masters can do.
  3. Intensively engaged in sports. Physical loads can be large and regular.
  4. Completely devote themselves to your favorite hobby. It can be both active sports, and fishing, hunting, music.

How to sublimate correctly?

It is important to know where and how to sublimate energy. Here are some tips on how to learn a purposeful transition mechanism:

  1. It is important to learn to take every new day and every person in life as a gift.
  2. It is necessary to allow yourself the most insane dreams and at the same time develop imagination . This is one of the most important principles of the transformation mechanism. With the help of the imagination, the best discoveries can arise.
  3. We must rely on intuition. Together with the imagination, it is able to help catch those ideas that float in the air. Sometimes due to this, genius is determined.
  4. Most talented inventors used the so-called "black hole effect" when they closed in a dark room and thus completely abstracted. This allowed the psyche to abstract from what is happening around and focus on certain tasks.
  5. It is important to remember that the emotional upsurge is similar to the state of being in love. It is necessary to live with such feelings a situation where there is a desire to succeed in something.

How to sublimate sexual energy?

Under the concept of sublimated sexuality, it is customary to understand the transition of sexual desire into creativity. Sexual energy is the most powerful and affordable. When a person changes something in this sphere, he feels an improvement in his state of health, the world perceives it differently, creative possibilities increase and relations with people become better.

When a creative person talks about his muse and inspiration, then it means that the object that will help the energy to transform into creative. Until now, psychologists have not figured out how the transition of sexual energy into creative energy takes place. With certainty it can be said that this happened to everyone, at least once in a lifetime. Having understood the power of sublimation, some scientists consciously refuse from sexual relations for great achievements. Although psychotherapists do not encourage this.

How to sublimate aggression?

According to experts, self-destruction is the result of a violation of the instinct of aggression, which is designed to support life. However, a person needs sublimation of energy. There are such ways of this kind of discharge:

  1. Transfer of emotions to inanimate objects.
  2. Discharge with the help of methods of psychoanalysis.
  3. Increased respect for yourself through art, science and education.
  4. Doing sports is an incentive to defuse aggression and a manifestation of healthy competition.
  5. Use of excitement for something really important, and not against fictional opponents.