The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology advises
about sublimation:
"In classical psychoanalysis, the process whereby primitive
libidinous impulses are redirected into new, learned, 'noninstinctive'
behaviours. Typically, the term is used with the understanding
that the learned behaviours are socially acceptable whereas
the instinctive impulses would not be. Classical theory
regarded creative and artistic tendencies as manifestations
of sublimation.
Generally, and more loosely, any redirection of energy from
the socially unacceptable to the acceptable. Quite apart
from the fact that there is actually a bit more to it than
that, that clinical description tells us nothing of what
is actually happening inside the mind and emotions of the
client.
Sublimation is not something that the individual
decides to do - in fact they are not usually aware that
the situation exists, or even that it is possible. It is
a subconscious process caused by profound repression, and
tends to involve our most insistent instinctual drives -
usually sexuality. It is as though, because it is one of
our basic drives, the subconscious strives to turn us away
from that activity to ensure the integrity of the repression.
What happens then is that emotion and energy
that would normally be expended into sexual activity - when
it is that which has been sublimated - is diverted by the
subconscious into something that could be perceived as being
as far removed as possible from it; religion perhaps. The
more complete the sublimation, the more total the diversion
of energy; complete sublimation might lead to total abstinence
and maybe even a life of worship such as that (supposedly)
adopted by priests, monks and nuns, for example. On a slightly
lesser scale where the sublimation is not so complete, a
career in the church may still be sought, though perhaps
in a capacity where some sexual activity is considered to
be acceptable, as in the case of a vicar.
Then, he is obviously 'respectable' so can indulge his basic
instinctual drives, which would probably be low-ish anyway,
with a clear conscience. I'm not saying that all church
ministers are subject to sublimation... oh, I don't know
though, maybe I am.
I said 'supposedly' in reference to priests,
monks and nuns, because it is extremely rare for sublimation
to be so total that there is absolutely no interest at all
in the original activity. It is often denied, sometimes
even vehemently so; there may even be protestations of a
disgust or dislike of it; but rarely is there a total indifference.
Interest is interest is interest, be it negative or positive.
Given that forces of the libido are involved,
it should not be surprising that the adopted behaviour pattern
can often seem obsessive. For example, it is generally accepted
that the high level of interest generated by sexual matters,
especially amongst young people, is 'normal'. But the same
level of interest being generated by religion amongst the
same young people would definitely not seem normal to the
average person. Quite the reverse, in fact - it would seem
decidedly odd. Most therapists would, indeed, label it as
obsessional behaviour.
It need not be religion that gets 'adopted'
of course. It can be any pursuit into which vast amounts
of energy and dedication (obsession) can be poured; anything
from art or acting, to sports or mountaineering. Some of
the world explorers of the post-Victorian era were probably
subject to this process. When you think of it, that sort
of activity even has a kind of Freudian similarity - foraging
through dense forest and rivers to discover hitherto unknown
secrets!
I said earlier that that Penguin Dictionary
of Psychology description was not complete so I'd better
justify that statement. I believe that it is not only drives
which are viewed as socially unacceptable that cause sublimation,
but also drives which are totally unacceptable to the individual,
for whatever reason.
One of the more common ones of this type you
will find is the sublimation of parental urges and instincts
onto animals (though there is actually some doubt as to
whether or not this is a true instinct). Of course, this
is very clever of the subconscious, because loving animals
is socially and morally acceptable, they are living creatures
who need nurturing and who return affection (or, depending
on your own viewpoint, appear to return affection) and also
remain in a state of some dependence on their owner - the
owner therefore remains in charge of that situation for
as long as s/he wants to. The important thing to recognise
here is that it goes way beyond the normal love of animals
that many people have.
An individual with this sublimation will talk
to their animals as though they were children; believe that
they understand every single word that is spoken to them
by their owner; will protect them and worry about them as
fiercely as a 'normal' person would a child; and, when they
die, will grieve for them no less than a parent would grieve
for a child. They would probably choose to go without food
so that their pet could eat, and may even risk life and
limb to protect them from harm.
One case that came my way was a woman who
vehemently detested children and cared not one bit who knew
it. The fact that she was not indifferent to children indicated
that the sublimation was not total - which was probably
just as well, for she kept a huge menagerie of animals and
had that sublimation been complete, she might well have
become suicidal every time one died. Oh, yes, it's that
powerful. Her parents, though, had had a totally different
attitude towards children and had fostered hundreds and
adopted several. All very laudable, except that my client
had had a permanent baby sister or brother taking her parents
attention away from her from the age of ten until she got
married and left home. She had had enough experience of
babies and children 'stealing' her attention to last her
a lifetime and in addition to this her lack of any self-worth
to speak of soon became evident.
Neither she nor her husband wanted children
and she was quite happy about this situation, having presented
to me with anxiety generally and greatly protracted panic
attacks. She only mentioned her antipathy towards children
when I asked her about relationships and family. Needless
to say, I pointed out to her that analysis might make a
difference to the way she felt about having children of
her own (I said nothing about sublimation - see (1) below)
and that she should consider the implications for her marriage.
She insisted, though, that she was certain that nothing
could ever change her attitude and therefore decided to
go through analysis.
The fine details of her case are unimportant
here. There was a lot of emotional release, but the only
noticeable change that took place as far as her attitude
to children was concerned was that she stopped hating them,
instead becoming indifferent. I have to accept the possibility
that the sublimation became more complete as a result of
analysis, probably because she did not want any other sort
of change. Of course, I have seen nothing of her since,
so it's entirely possible, even likely, that her attitude
altered as transference dissolved.
The point of all this, the whole point of
this article, really, is so that you can recognise two very
important facts.
NEVER underestimate a client's attitude
and feelings just because they differ from what you believe
to be normal. To do so is to make the creation of transference
more difficult, even unlikely. For the same reason, it is
NOT a good idea to start explaining sublimation to them.
If there is a sublimation at work, their feelings towards
their alternative subconscious choice will very likely be
as strong as - or even stronger than - yours are towards
your normal instinct. Their drive towards religion, for
example, will be as strong as yours is towards sexual activity.
How would you feel if you were told that analysis might
stop your sexual drive? Resistant, perhaps? You certainly
would not believe the truth of the matter - that once the
repression is released and if there is a change in your
attitude, then you will be delighted by that change and
happier than you have ever been. In general, emphasise the
positive. "You might find yourself starting to like
children" is fine; "You might find yourself loving
animals less" is definitely not.
NEVER confuse obsession and sublimation, because
the sublimated individual is far more treatable, via analysis,
than the obsessive. The major difference is that the individual
who is subject to sublimation is likely to be strongly obsessive
in only one particular area, whilst the truly obsessive
individual will exhibit typically obsessive behaviour generally.
When I have client who seems to be obsessive in just one
particular area, I want to find out if one of his/her human
instinctual drives - sexuality, parenting, survival, pleasure-seeking,
etc. - is exceptionally low. If so, the indication is towards
sublimation rather than obsession, which bodes well for
the analysis, and I will proceed.
That's about it on sublimation, but a few
words on the treatment of obsessive behaviour generally
may not come amiss. When I feel that the individual is obsessive,
I will never take them for analysis without making it perfectly
plain that this is not an open-ended situation in which
we will continue until they no longer have the problem.
Obsession is hard enough to deal with, without them thinking
they have all the time in the world... our main hope of
success is to channel their obsessive processes into their
analysis. I usually tell them we will review their progress
after six weeks and decide then whether or not to continue.
At six weeks, if no pathogenic material has been released,
it is a safe bet that it is not going to be and I can discharge
them from therapy without ill feeling on their part.
© Copyright Terence Watts, 1997
