abreaction
/abrɪˈakʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun] Psychoanalysis
The expression and consequent release of a previously repressed emotion, achieved through reliving the experience that caused it (typically through hypnosis or suggestion): he was using dream abreaction to treat a schizoid patient [count noun]: a series of interviews and abreactions...
- Like Karon's patient, they were often treated with hypnotic abreaction in which the patient was expected to re-live the moment of trauma with unrestrained emotions.
- The abreaction experienced by this patient as well as her comments after termination of the session suggest that unblocking her emotional response, rather than her gut, was the main factor in her recovery.
- Age regression was used to explore the perceived cause of symptoms, and abreaction of the associated emotions was encouraged.
Derivatives
abreactive
- During the Vietnam war, conversion disorders were seldom encountered as repressed memories, and abreactive treatments became a quaint historical artifact.
- Whenever there was no spontaneous response, the abreactive effect was induced by verbal stimulation.
- From my own experience, I can confirm that possession is certainly both abreactive and cathartic.
Origin
Early 20th century: from ab- 'away from' + reaction, translating German Abreagierung.