Deprivation - what is it, types, examples, consequences

The term “social deprivation” should be understood as a voluntary or forced restriction of an individual’s interaction with the outside world. This restriction varies in severity and reasons for isolation. In addition, there is both individual and group social deprivation. In this article we will look at the danger of this phenomenon and talk about the impact of long-term isolation on the human psyche.

Social deprivation is a deviation from real social norms in society

What is deprivation

So, deprivation - what is it in simple words? Deprivation in psychology is a condition in which a person can no longer lead his usual life. This happens when circumstances change or the ability to satisfy one’s needs is lost.

The word “deprivation” comes from the English verb deprive, which means to deprive, to take away. It has a negative connotation. We are talking not only about physical, but also about mental needs.

A similar definition of deprivation is given by J. Langmeyer and Z. Matejcek, who studied the development of this phenomenon in children. According to them, it develops if an individual cannot satisfy mental needs over a long period of time.

These needs include:

• the need to create conditions suitable for work or study;
• desire to establish and develop social connections;
• the need for self-realization, goal setting, finding a place in society.

Deprivation is often compared to biological failure. Physical well-being noticeably worsens if the body lacks vitamins, oxygen or adequate nutrition. The same thing happens with mental health if a person lacks communication, love and other feelings.

Symptoms of deprivation

It is not always possible to recognize the signs of deprivation and say for sure that this is the source of the problems. One of the main signs is aggressive behavior. Experiencing long-term deprivation, a person can direct his aggression at himself or at others.

Self-directed aggression is expressed in self-harm or suicidal tendencies. Often, in an effort to drown out the pain, a person begins to smoke, take alcohol or take drugs. This helps for a while, but against the background of such an unhealthy lifestyle, somatic ailments develop.

The second symptom may be withdrawal. A person closes himself off from the world and tries to convince himself that he is already fine. Depending on the character of the person himself, his symptoms can be expressed to varying degrees.

Children may experience aggressive behavior, insomnia, or lack of appetite. Enuresis, inability to assimilate necessary information, or hyperactivity are common.

How deprivation manifests itself

The manifestations of deprivation differ in each individual case. They are influenced by many factors, in particular age.

In children

Most often, childhood deprivation develops in children who, for whatever reason, end up in an orphanage. The first months of their life they are practically no different from other babies. But studies have shown that they are 3-4% more likely to develop disorders of the central nervous system. And genetic pathologies are more common among them than among others. That is why, in most cases, disabled children are deprived of their mother's love.

By the age of 1 year, the difference between “home” and abandoned children becomes more noticeable. Often the latter are diagnosed with rickets, insufficient body weight, and delayed psycho-emotional development. They do not show curiosity about what is happening in the environment, are inactive, do not want to talk, and do not respond well to speech addressed to them. Moreover, throat diseases are common among such children and the body’s defenses are reduced.

The main reason for the development of deprivation in this case is life surrounded by orphans, without parental love and care. In second place is unscrupulous medical examination of a child in the first months after birth.

In adults

In adulthood, deprivation manifests itself in a number of physiological and psychological symptoms:

• increased anxiety;
• decreased vitality, apathy;
• dissatisfaction with oneself;
• frequent mood changes;
• unmotivated aggression.

A person becomes so depressed and helpless that he simply loses interest in everything that happens around him. Not only does he not see a way out of the current situation, but he also does not want to look for one.

There are other manifestations of deprivation. Among them is fear of novelty and the unknown, as well as of quite familiar phenomena and objects. Over time, these sensations become so strong that the person becomes their hostage.

Deprivation is...

Initially, the word was coined to denote a condition when children do not receive attention and care from their mother for a long time.

The situation in the 40-50s forced me to do this. The twentieth century is a period of orphanhood in large numbers.

Children who were not surrounded by love and good upbringing (what is this?) grew up with impairments in the physical, emotional and intellectual spheres. They were significantly different from those who grew up in wealthy families.

The term “deprivation” (from the Latin deprivatio – “loss” , “deprivation of something”) began to be actively used in psychology to describe various cases that even an adult of any status can be exposed to.

Deprivation is a negative mental state when there is no way to satisfy life’s needs (what is it?).

More emphasis is placed on the biological and social aspects that are necessary for normal development. But each person may have a significant individual need for something different.

Deprivation can be hidden or overt.

Outwardly, a person may look quite joyful, but inside there is tension and discomfort. This long-term condition leads to chronic stress (what is it?).

There are cases when deprivation is conscious, and people limit themselves. For example, in food, going on a fast to quickly lose weight (this was discussed in the article about anorexia).

A person is influenced not by the fact of deprivation of a need, but by how he relates to it. A change in life situation leads to adaptation (what is it?).

If, for example, someone who always tends to overeat is unable to eat for several days, then for him it will turn into torture. For those who do this consciously for a specific purpose, the process is much easier, and they will feel more comfortable.

Deprivation should be distinguished from frustration (what is it?). Frustration is not a complete lack of ability to satisfy basic needs, but only part of them and for a short time, i.e. The failure is not global, but local.

For example, if you take away a child’s favorite soft toy and give him an uninteresting construction set, this is frustration. If you restrict access to all types of fun and entertainment, this is deprivation.

Types and consequences of deprivation

All types of deprivation have their own characteristics and consequences.

Sensory

This form of deprivation has been best studied. It presupposes conditions in the life of a child or adult when the external stimuli around them are either limited or change frequently. Stimuli include light, smells, and sounds. A good example is pilots who spend a lot of time at the controls. Their psychological state worsens due to the fact that they are almost always alone, while doing extremely monotonous work.

You've probably seen a lot of movies talking about the concept of sensory deprivation. Take, for example, the same Robinson Crusoe, who spent a long time alone on a desert island. Tom Hanks' hero experienced the same adventure in the film Cast Away.

There are several consequences of this type of deprivation:

• change in direction of thinking, problems with concentration;
• daydreaming, attempts to escape reality;
• deterioration of time orientation;
• illusions, hallucinations;
• excessive excitability, nervousness;
• headaches, a feeling of aching muscles, the appearance of “spots” before the eyes;
• rave;
• anxiety, fears;
• personal changes.

With sensory deprivation, 3 types of reactions occur:

1. Excessive excitability and at the same time general emotional depression. A person reacts to banal situations very sharply.
2. Interest in what used to bring pleasure decreases, the mood is calm and even apathetic.
3. Taste preferences change, as do emotions. What you liked before now causes irritation, and vice versa.

These are emotional reactions. Changes also occur in the cognitive sphere:

1. Violations of verbal and logical thinking develop, attention and speech deteriorate.
2. Perceptual processes are inhibited. What it is? A clear example is a violation of three-dimensional perception. It seems to a person that the walls are moving, narrowing or expanding.
3. Suggestibility increases.

In simple terms, sensory deprivation is a lack of emotions. And such hunger is often confused with ordinary hunger, trying to satisfy it with food. It turns out that obesity and overeating are directly related to this type of deprivation.

Despite the rather unpleasant consequences, sensory deprivation also has positive aspects. For example, it encourages a person to generate unusual ideas and find a way out of difficult situations. Just remember the same Robinson Crusoe, who, while living on the island, implemented a lot of creative ideas.

Coping with sensory deprivation is easier for introverts. Difficulties will arise for extroverts, as well as those with a hysterical and demonstrative personality type. It is difficult for such people to survive the restriction or absence of external stimuli.

Motor

Motor deprivation develops in cases where there is a need to temporarily limit mobility (from 2 weeks to 4 months). It is characterized by:

• hypochondria;
• depression;
• unmotivated fears;
• instability of emotional state.

It is difficult for a person to concentrate. He develops problems with speech and memory. He becomes lazy both physically and mentally.

Cognitive

Cognitive deprivation occurs due to a lack of, chaotic, or disorganized information. Its consequences are:

• boredom;
• inadequate reasoning about the world and one’s place in it;
• incorrect conclusions about what is happening in the world and with people around them;
• inability to act effectively.

The lack of information causes anxiety and unreasonable fears about the present and future. They are followed by depression and sleep problems. Performance decreases, vigilance is lost, and the ability to concentrate deteriorates.

Emotional deprivation

This condition is also called mental deprivation. It is the most difficult to diagnose. This is due to the fact that it has many different manifestations. Some people experience fears, others suffer from depression. There are also those who, on the contrary, become overly active, sociable, and waste their time on superficial relationships.

Such deprivation is most difficult to bear in childhood. The child experiences a delay in several types of development at once: cognitive, emotional, social.

Social

The essence of this type of deprivation is the isolation of a person or group of people from the outside world. There are several types:

1. Forced. Isolation was created artificially; neither the person himself nor society expected it.
2. Forced. In this case, isolation is initiated by society. A good example: an orphanage, a prison and other similar institutions.
3. Voluntary. Such is the self-isolation of hermits.
4. Voluntary-compulsory. The person himself limits social connections in order to quickly achieve his goal. Students of the Suvorov School or, for example, a school for gifted children are in such isolation.

Psychosocial deprivation has the following consequences:

• anxiety;
• fear;
• depression;
• psychosis;
• emotional stress;
• euphoria as from taking drugs;
• irritability;
• frequent conflicts;
• incontinence;
• suicidal thoughts.

As for disorders at the cognitive level, the most common are memory problems, speech impairment, loss of good manners, and problems with abstract thinking.

Those most susceptible to social deprivation are young mothers, elderly people who have just retired, hermits, and workers who have been on sick leave for a long time.

Existential

Associated with the search for one’s place in society, the meaning of life, and the study of issues of death and existence. There are 4 subtypes of existential deprivation:

1. It develops in adolescents in cases where they are limited in their ability to realize themselves.
2. At a young age, deprivation is a condition caused by the choice of profession and the search for a partner to start a family. The reasons for its development are loneliness and isolation from society.
3. At the age of 30, it is important for a person that his life corresponds to the previously set goals and plans.
4. At the age of 40, there is a reassessment of values, an analysis of the years lived.

There are several reasons for the development of existential deprivation:

• change in social status;
• loss of meaning in life, inability to achieve goals;
• unexpected rapid change in living conditions;
• monotony in life.

Another reason, no matter how strange it may sound, is achieving a goal. It's boring for a person to live without a dream.

Educational

In this case, the concept of “deprivation” means pedagogical neglect, unsuitable learning conditions for the child, and the inability to fully reveal his abilities and potential. All this leads to loss of motivation, decreased interest, and reluctance to attend an educational institution. Over time, these symptoms develop into a persistent aversion to the educational process.

Educational deprivation in psychology is divided into 2 subtypes. The first is emotional. This is a state when the teacher ignores the characteristics of the student. The second is cognitive. This means that knowledge is presented formally, without deep explanations.

Paternal or maternal deprivation

It develops not only in childhood, but also in older age. This implies the absence of dad or mom, as well as inattention on their part.

Interesting! The lack of paternal love is called paternal deprivation.

If the mother leaves the child for a short period of time for a good reason, the condition will quickly stabilize. Otherwise, extremely unpleasant consequences develop. These are developmental delays, apathy, and a tendency to depression.

Sleep deprivation

Otherwise known as chronic sleep deprivation. It develops in situations where a person does not allocate enough time for night rest. If the situation does not change for a long time, drowsiness appears even during the day, the mood deteriorates, the person becomes distracted and forgetful. His performance (intellectual and physical) is deteriorating.

The development of sleep deprivation is provoked by several reasons:

1. Actually, lack of sleep caused by passion for computer games, the need to do overtime work or homework, or waking up due to the crying of a small child.
2. Insomnia. The person often wakes up during the night or gets up early. Another option is that he has trouble falling asleep for a long time. As a result, he spends the entire day fighting the urge to sleep.

Another reason for sleep deprivation is anxiety. You cannot sleep because you are thinking about some problems, for example, difficult family relationships or difficulties at work.

Types of deprivation

The most common classification is according to needs that have been limited. The following types of deprivation are distinguished:

1. Sensory

. It implies a complete shutdown or significant weakening of certain external stimuli (colors, smells, sounds, tactile sensations). It can manifest itself due to the characteristics of the environment (this option is well demonstrated in the Soviet cartoon “Hedgehog in the Fog”) or due to a person’s own physical limitations. Under certain conditions, people need sensory deprivation and carry it out artificially. For example, night blindfolds and earplugs are sensory deprivation devices.

2. Cognitive

. This type of deprivation implies a sharp deficit of external information necessary for a person to have normal mental activity. The opposite option is also possible - there is too much information, it changes dramatically, so a person is not able to interpret it correctly and perceives it as useless information noise. Cognitive deprivation is especially dangerous for children.

3. Emotional

. When explaining what deprivation is, this form is often cited as an example. It involves limiting or losing emotional contacts. This condition can occur in a child who is severely punished, as a result of which he ceases to feel emotional closeness with his parents.

4. Social

. It implies deprivation of identity, a sense of self-worth, and the ability to consider oneself part of society. This condition is observed in pensioners, students of closed schools, patients undergoing treatment for a long time, prisoners and other people who do not have a full social life.

5. Motor

. This type includes various restrictions on physical activity, for example, bedridden or wheelchair-bound.

There are other options for deprivation: educational, ethical, economic and others. Deprivation usually means the very fact of limiting certain opportunities (including by a person’s voluntary choice ). This concept is also expanded to the state of emptiness associated with limitation (for example, after injury or the loss of a loved one). That is, deprivation is both the deprivation itself and a person’s awareness of this deprivation.

How to cope with deprivation

So what is deprivation? This is depriving a person of his usual way of life. You can change the situation if you return to him what was taken away or replace it with something else. For example, feeling empty, many people become interested in religion. Some find solace in traditional teachings, while others become members of various sects. There are also those who immerse themselves in watching TV series or computer games. Such methods of dealing with deprivation in psychology are called destructive.

There are also constructive methods to combat this condition. Among them: sports, self-development, active work on oneself and one’s personality.

Deprivation should never be ignored. If you leave everything as it is, you are guaranteed to become dependent on some useless activity or hobby. Therefore, it is better to consciously do something useful.

Types of deprivation play an important role in “treatment” tactics. So, with sensory, it is recommended to paint life with bright colors, add emotions and impressions to it. When experiencing emotional deprivation, it is worth finding someone you can trust.

In particularly severe cases, it is recommended to consult a psychotherapist. Working with it will help eliminate destructive experiences and aspirations, as well as protect the psyche from irreversible consequences.

Cognitive and motor deprivation

Cognitive deprivation occurs not only during periods of pedagogical neglect, when the child is not raised and is not involved in his development.

But even if education (what is it?) does not correspond to personal characteristics and cannot reveal the individual’s potential; if the brain requires information and cannot receive it.

This deprivation leads to :

1. delay in intellectual development;
2. inadequate understanding of the environment;
3. problem to act productively;
4. anxiety and fear due to ignorance;
5. boredom.

Motor deprivation is a restriction of movement due to a chronic illness, a car accident, or being in captivity.

It can cause:

1. depressive disorder;
2. apathy;
3. anxiety;
4. hypochondria (what is it?).

My recommendations

It so happened that I lived in an unfamiliar city for almost 2 years. All my friends and relatives remained elsewhere. There were no friends or acquaintances here. I spent almost all my time on my own. Such a social deprivation.

I can only say one thing - you can get rid of it if you completely immerse yourself in some interesting activity and make new acquaintances. Reading and self-development helped me. I read books about how you can change your life for the better, and fiction. As soon as I got used to the new conditions and coped with the symptoms of deprivation, I began to meet new people. And it so happened that I still communicate with some of them.

Sleep deprivation

Lack or complete lack of satisfaction of the need for sleep can occur for various reasons: during torture or interrogation, chronic diseases (severe pain), mental disorders (anxiety conditions, insomnia itself).

According to statistics, young people between 17 and 25 years old are often awake at night. Some of them deliberately lead a long active lifestyle in order to experience hallucinations and “expand their worldview.” The more responsible ones do not sleep due to the combination of study and work.

Sleep deprivation has the following consequences :

1. irritability;
2. tremor of the limbs;
3. muscle pain;
4. weight loss or gain;
5. headache;
6. drop in visual acuity;
7. pallor;
8. paranoia;
9. depressive disorders (what is it?);
10. disturbances of attention, memory, thinking;
11. hallucinations.

Maternal deprivation

The loss of a mother or prolonged deprivation of communication with her leads to maternal deprivation, which negatively affects the personal development of the baby. The following situations also have a negative impact on the child’s mental development:

1. Woman goes to work too early
2. Mother goes on a long business trip, session
3. Separation from mother after difficult birth
4. The child is sent to kindergarten very early
5. Mother and child are separated due to illness

The situations listed above refer to open deprivation. There is also a hidden form, in which the mother is actually with her child, but there is psychological tension between them. What are the reasons for such deprivation? In psychology, the following reasons are identified:

1. The mother’s excessive passion for scientific literature and “correct” parenting methods. The woman absolutely does not pay attention to the individual characteristics of the baby and does not listen to her intuition.
2. Hostile or tense relationship between father and mother.
3. The mother has health problems, as a result of which she cannot allocate sufficient time and fully care for the baby.
4. The birth of similar children into a family. The mother is under constant stress and therefore cannot provide adequate care for the baby.

The risk group includes children born as a result of an unwanted pregnancy. This negatively affects the mother’s relationship with the child, who always subconsciously feels it. An important period in the development of a child is an early age - from 0 to 3 years. At this time, contact with the mother is important for the full development of the child’s psyche. Otherwise, internal aggression and depression arise. As an adult, such a child will not be able to build normal relationships with people around him. There is a theory that maternal mental deprivation is the cause of autism.

Social deprivation

If a person is deprived of the opportunity to fully contact society, this provokes a certain mental state, which can subsequently cause the development of pathogenic symptoms and syndromes. Social deprivation can be caused by various factors. In psychology, there are several forms of this condition:

• voluntary deprivation;
• forced deprivation;
• forced deprivation;
• voluntary-forced deprivation.

Forced deprivation occurs when a person or group of people finds themselves in conditions isolated from society. These circumstances do not depend on the will or desire of the individual. An example of such deprivation would be a tragedy at sea, after which the ship's crew finds themselves stranded on a desert island.

Forced deprivation occurs when a person is isolated, contrary to his wishes. An example of such a situation is people who are in prison, boarding school students, and conscripts. Voluntary deprivation occurs in cases where a person limits the satisfaction of the need for communication at his own request. Such people include sectarians and monks. An example of voluntary-forced deprivation is pupils of a sports school.

For an adult, the consequences of social deprivation are not as catastrophic as for children. Limitations in communication negatively affect the child’s life efficiency and mental development.

Scientists distinguish emotional, maternal, paternal deprivation and sleep deprivation into a separate group. Let's take a closer look at them.

Emotional deprivation

Emotions and feelings play an important role in a person’s life. Personality is formed under their influence. The emotional sphere helps a person adapt to various life changes. Thanks to emotions, a person realizes his place in life. They influence the cognitive sphere, form perception, thinking, memory, and develop consciousness.

If a person is deprived of the ability to satisfy the emotional sphere, then his cognitive area becomes poor and limited as a result of deprivation. This negatively affects normal mental development. Thanks to psychological research, it has been revealed that the desire of parents to have a baby in the family has a significant influence on a child’s attitude towards life.

The next important stage in the development of the personal sphere is early childhood. If at this time the baby is surrounded by attention and receives a sufficient amount of positive emotions, then he is unlikely to experience emotional deprivation, and there will be no changes in psychology. But if it’s the other way around, then the child is prone to deprivation disorders. There is a risk of such deviations occurring even if the baby is constantly in an emotionally volatile environment.

A person who was deprived of positive emotions in childhood often experiences feelings of loneliness and melancholy as an adult, and develops an inferiority complex in psychology.

The lack of emotions also affects physical development - the baby develops late, his medical indicators do not reach the norm. But if the child finds himself in a normal environment, the indicators change sharply in a positive direction. A striking example of such “healing” is children from orphanages who end up being raised in full-fledged families.

Consequences of psychological deprivation

Depriving a child of the opportunity to satisfy basic needs negatively affects the development of the brain and the formation of cognitive functions. The baby grows up disorganized and unsure of himself. He rarely smiles or expresses his emotions. His physical and mental development slows down, and dissatisfaction with himself and his own life develops.

As a result of psychological studies, it was revealed that for the normal, full development of a baby, you need to hug and kiss at least 8 times a day.

In adults, deprivation occurs against the background of a deprivation state experienced in childhood, this leaves an imprint on psychology. He feels unnecessary, cannot find his place in life, experiences depression, and a constant feeling of anxiety. It is possible to get out of this state, but long-term psychotherapeutic work with specialists is necessary.

Help for people who have suffered deprivation

Correctional and psychotherapeutic work has several stages and directions. Only careful and consistent study of each stage will help cope with the negative consequences that arise as a result of deprivation.

Areas of work:

1. Working with self-esteem, improving relationships with people. A person learns to see the positive aspects of life situations, carefully analyze them and adequately evaluate them.
2. Working with personal vulnerability. A person learns to perceive a situation without unnecessary emotions, learns prudence, and sees cause-and-effect relationships.
3. Working with the identification of feelings. A person learns to interact with other people, express emotions, and understand the feelings of other people.

Working with a person who has faced deprivation can take place individually or in a group. The psychotherapist selects techniques and methods of work, focusing on what kind of deprivation has taken place in a person’s life, its duration and the degree of influence on the psyche. It is not advisable to correct the consequences yourself so that the situation does not worsen further.

Paternal deprivation

The father should be involved in raising the child no less than the mother. Depriving a baby of emotional contact with his dad leads to paternal deprivation. What situations can lead to its appearance?

• lack of positive emotional relationships between father and child, despite the physical presence of a man in the house;
• father leaving the family;
• realization of ambitions by the child's father;
• violation of role positions in the family. In this case, the father takes over the maternal functions and vice versa.

How does paternal deprivation affect children's development? The child misidentifies his gender and becomes incompetent and emotionally vulnerable. This also affects the ability to properly build relationships with people, the inability to correctly and competently build relationships with one’s own children.