Having a wide repertoire of feelings is part of the general pattern of most people. Within the same situation, we can feel anger, sadness, joy, fear, among others, but what happens when we experience more than one emotion at the same time? This is an aspect that differentiates us from animals, since they are governed by unique and well-defined emotions. In the case of human beings, on the other hand, it is possible to experience several different feelings simultaneously.
Although this quality is usually common in many people, it can become a complex situation if it begins to harm social relationships, affective ties and areas of work functioning. Having valuable and effective tools to deal with these difficulties can help us when it comes to solving problems. Do you want to know more about this? In this Psychology-Online article, we will provide you with information about the affective ambivalence: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment.
One of the first aspects to have in order to know what affective ambivalence is lies in understanding what exactly we are talking about when we refer to that concept. In general terms, we can define affective ambivalence as a
It is important to note that a series of diagnostic criteria must be met to make an adequate diagnosis:
- Difficulty in controlling impulses.
- Deterioration of work, social and family relationships.
- Enduring pattern over time that affects the way of thinking and behavior.
- Inflexible behavior modality.
- The onset may originate during adolescence and persist for several years of life.
- The alterations cannot be explained by the presence of another mental disorder or by the effects of a substance and/or a medication.
Knowing the origins that give rise to the characteristics of affective ambivalence is crucial when establishing tools to resolve possible conflicts. Between the most relevant causes in the development of ambivalence affective we can highlight:
- Environmental factors: are the experiences traumatic from the past that determine people's patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion. It is possible that the person with affective ambivalence has lived through situations in which they would have experienced intense emotions when same time if someone in the family environment possessed that kind of qualities, later replicated by the person ambivalent. Imitation is a condition with an importance in the development of personality.
- Genetic factors: genetic inheritance shapes the way people respond to the stimuli that are presented to them. There are several areas within the cerebral cortex that are associated with emotional processing. In this way, it is possible that certain neural connections are activated with greater intensity in certain situations.
Affective ambivalence presents a series of visible manifestations on both the physical and emotional planes and behavioral of a person that can affect the development of their daily activities. Knowing these signs can help us detect this state to start looking for effective treatments and face the consequences of affective ambivalence.
Some of the most important symptomsof ambivalence affective are:
- Uncertainty.
- Repetitive thoughts.
- Gonna.
- Fear.
- Anxiety.
- Stomach ache.
- Excessive sweating.
- Palpitations.
- Tremors.
- Shortness of breath.
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
- dizziness
- Nausea and/or vomiting.
- Presence of two or more emotions simultaneously about a specific person, object and/or situation.
It should be noted that the presence of one or more symptoms does not necessarily imply that we are dealing with a person who has affective ambivalence. It is essential that the diagnosis be carried out by a mental health professional specialized in the subject that evaluates the clinical conditions of each patient according to her needs and requirements.
We currently have treatments that have proven to be remarkably effective against this problem. Below we explain two options to deal with a picture of affective ambivalence.
psychological therapy
Psychotherapy consists of a space that offers the possibility for the person to reflect on their thoughts, emotions and behaviors associated with the symptoms they manifest. On the one hand, short-term therapies try to establish resources and tools that are useful for the patient to deal with situations that give rise to affective ambivalence.
The most widely recognized brief therapy is cognitive behavioral (CBT). On the other hand, longer duration therapies seek the origin of the symptoms from the memory of childhood situations that are linked to the condition. This makes it possible to act differently in times of stress and/or anxiety. Here we can place psychoanalysis as the most important treatment.
psychiatric medication
In serious cases that manifest serious consequences in the development of daily life, there is the possibility of resorting to psychiatric medication. These drugs produce changes in the neural connections associated with emotional processing.
However, it is important to be clear that psychiatric medication should only be used under the supervision of a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Affective ambivalence: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.
Affective ambivalence: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment
