The theoretical model presented in this article hypothesizes that technological addictions are disorders connected with dissociative mechanisms. In technological addictive behaviors, dissociation works in order to avoid that traumatic feelings and memories reach the self and the awareness, through a disconnection between mental representations or self-states. New media and new technologies allow an high imaginative involvement, thus they may lead to a temporary withdrawal inside “psychic retreats”. Psychic retreats are not pathological in themselves, and they can be used for counteracting anxieties or developing creativeness. In technological addiction, instead, there is a dysfunctional use of psychic retreats, in which the total absorption inside the addicting behaviors hides the presence of traumatic feelings and memories excluded from awareness. In technological addictions, dissociated Self-states may concern specific, not symbolized, traumatic events. This use of dissociation is common in highly functioning neurotic personality: if this the case the prognosis is quite favourable. Examining more serious psychopathological conditions, the failure of attachment relationships seems to have an important role, because it can lead patients to disown their natural vocations and needs. When this happens, the mind became subdued to parental desires, conflicts, fears and projections. In this condition, the dissociation and the addictive behaviours have the function to preserve the Self from emerging and overwhelming traumatic feelings and the consequent psychic collapse.

Rifugiarsi dalla mente: emozioni traumatiche e dissociazione nelle dipendenze tecnologiche

SCHIMMENTI, ADRIANO
2008-01-01

Abstract

The theoretical model presented in this article hypothesizes that technological addictions are disorders connected with dissociative mechanisms. In technological addictive behaviors, dissociation works in order to avoid that traumatic feelings and memories reach the self and the awareness, through a disconnection between mental representations or self-states. New media and new technologies allow an high imaginative involvement, thus they may lead to a temporary withdrawal inside “psychic retreats”. Psychic retreats are not pathological in themselves, and they can be used for counteracting anxieties or developing creativeness. In technological addiction, instead, there is a dysfunctional use of psychic retreats, in which the total absorption inside the addicting behaviors hides the presence of traumatic feelings and memories excluded from awareness. In technological addictions, dissociated Self-states may concern specific, not symbolized, traumatic events. This use of dissociation is common in highly functioning neurotic personality: if this the case the prognosis is quite favourable. Examining more serious psychopathological conditions, the failure of attachment relationships seems to have an important role, because it can lead patients to disown their natural vocations and needs. When this happens, the mind became subdued to parental desires, conflicts, fears and projections. In this condition, the dissociation and the addictive behaviours have the function to preserve the Self from emerging and overwhelming traumatic feelings and the consequent psychic collapse.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11387/11033
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact