Intrapersonal conflict: what is it in psychology and how to get rid of it - the causes of internal contradictions in an individual

Many people are faced with a situation where the mind requires certain actions, and feelings require others. This condition has both positive and negative consequences. In this article I will tell you all about intrapersonal conflict, I will explain what it is in psychology ,

How does this problem occur? Conflicting desires usually create an atmosphere of a hopeless situation, a vicious circle, a dead end. However, the contradiction can be easily resolved if you do not deny its existence and do not suppress it.

Definition of the concept

Conflict is a difficult to resolve disagreement that forms within an individual. This condition is accompanied by fear and depression. Usually a person denies the existence of a problem or simply does not notice it.

Internal contradiction is also called confrontation. The features of this type of confrontation are:

• a certain structure of conflict (confrontation does not have subjects of interaction, which can be represented either by individuals or by entire groups of people).
• secrecy (it is quite difficult to identify such a disorder, since the individual himself is not aware of the state he is in);
• the specificity of the forms of formation and course (the collision of the two sides is characterized by the presence of experiences and is accompanied by constant phobias, depression and stress).

When a person who adheres to his rules or beliefs suddenly breaks them, he begins to feel an intrapersonal contradiction. This disorder can be extremely distressing. It is not always possible to cope with them.

Forms of manifestation

Internal conflict can manifest itself in the following forms:

• neurasthenia: depression, deterioration in performance, headaches, sleep problems, and so on,
• euphoria: indicative cheerful mood, tears replacing laughter, joy for no reason,
• regression: primitivism in behavior, avoidance of responsibility,
• projection: negativism towards others, their constant criticism and assessments,
• nomadism: desire for change in various areas of life,
• rationalism: attempts to justify, “whitewash” one’s actions.

How internal conflict leads to illness:

Signs of internal conflict

There are several symptoms of this malaise:

• apathy;
• depression;
• isolation;
• low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence;
• anxiety;
• irritability;
• loss of concentration;
• indifference to life.

Symptoms vary, changes depend on the severity of the disease. With mild confrontation, the person tries to distract himself with various activities, for example:

• cleaning;
• arranging books in alphabetical order;
• professional activity.

A severe form of illness is characterized by the following symptoms: loss of strength, apathy. When an individual cannot concentrate on his choice, he is haunted by an obsessive stream of thoughts, anxiety, absent-mindedness, and lack of concentration arise.

What creates conflict within a person?

Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person is unable to achieve what he wants. This is prevented not by external obstacles, but by internal circumstances. The psyche determines two ways out of the situation, but neither of them is usually suitable. We are unable to change our desires. A girl cannot easily put down and stop loving a guy she really likes, even if she understands that he is completely unsuitable.

During the period of confrontation, two strong opposing sides arise - from the mind and from emotions, they have equal strength, so the intrapersonal battle lasts for quite a long time and because of this the individual cannot live a normal, familiar life.

Reasons for the inconsistency of the human psyche

The internal causes of contradictions in the human psyche are:

1. The clash of personal needs and social norms.
2. Discrepancy between social role and status.
3. Discrepancies between the norms and values ​​of society.
4. Contradiction between need and motive of interest.

All causes of intrapersonal conflict are due to the fact that a person cannot satisfy his fundamental needs and life motives. And if they mean a lot to the individual or there is a deep meaning invested in them, then this only aggravates the problem.

External reasons that are associated with a person’s position in his social group include:

1. A physical obstacle that makes it impossible to meet your needs.
2. Physiological resources that do not allow satisfying the need.
3. There is no object to satisfy the needs.
4. Social conditions that make satisfying needs impossible.

In addition to the causes of intrapersonal conflict associated with social status, there are also causes associated with social organization. The following points can be highlighted:

1. Inconsistency between working conditions and the requirements for the result.
2. Distinction between rights and responsibilities.
3. Organizational values ​​do not match the employee's personal values.
4. The social role does not correspond to the status in society.
5. There is no opportunity to create and self-realize.
6. The tasks and requirements are put forward in such a way that they exclude each other.

In modern realities, the cause of conflict is often the fact that moral standards come into dissonance with the desire to make a profit. But more often than not, this only happens when a person begins to save his first money and look for a place in life.

This is because in market relations a person is forced to compete with other people, which means that sooner or later hostility towards society will turn into hostility towards oneself. This is how intrapersonal conflict begins. In our society, absolutely opposite things are required from a participant in market relations. He must be aggressive to win his place, but at the same time cultivate altruism and other virtues. It is precisely such mutually exclusive demands that provide fertile ground for internal conflict.

Causes of internal conflict

To determine the origins of this psychological problem, it is necessary to return to childhood. In most cases, parents impose attitudes on us, which subsequently become irrelevant. If, as an adult, a person goes against these beliefs, he stumbles upon conflict within himself.

One of the frequent reasons for the formation of contradictions is religious attitudes. A person who has sinned must immediately repent of his actions. For example, a believer understands perfectly well that sinning is bad, but the forbidden fruit is sweet, he feels temptation, and here a psychological confrontation between two sides develops - desires and reason.

Psychologist Daria Milai

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There are three types of reasons for the formation of conflict:

• depending on the contradictions of the individual;
• related to status in society;
• depend on the position of the individual in a certain group of people.

The first type is characterized by the following manifestations of confrontation:

• choice between social norms and individual needs;
• prioritization of social roles (you are not able to do two things at the same time and concentrate on them equally);
• confrontation of moral principles (going to war to be brave and protect your family, but killing is bad).

For an individual there are only two choices - to do what he wants or to refuse it. If the first or second is more important to him, there will be no confrontation. But if these two decisions are equally significant for him, a confrontation appears.

Next, I will talk about the cognitive dissonance that develops within a person due to his status in a certain group:

• obstacles set by other people that prevent you from satisfying your own desires;
• problems at the biological level, they prevent you from realizing your potential;
• limited rights and fear of taking responsibility for one’s actions;
• opposition between professional activities, interests, norms and values;
• conflict due to the desire to earn money and not violate morality.

I told you everything about the concept of internal conflict, explained what it is and how it affects personality psychology. If you want to solve the problem as soon as possible and get rid of this condition forever, sign up for my consultation.

I will give a few more reasons why conflict arises.

Resistance

It occurs when a person is aware of exactly what he wants or needs, but subconsciously holds himself back from satisfying the needs and desires. He resists because he believes that all his attempts at pleasure will lead to vulnerability. There can be a large number of reasons for this: lack of self-confidence, fears, old attitudes, a feeling of shame. This state appears when our thoughts and actions coincide, but not completely.

Psychological Beliefs

Each person has his own rules that he does not break. Sometimes they are obstacles to achieving desired goals. Often such attitudes are laid down in early childhood by family or friends. The individual is convinced that violating them will lead to a loss of security.

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Why does intrapersonal conflict occur?

The causes of this and other psychological problems always go back to childhood.

Our parents instill in us attitudes that turn out to be unsuitable for life in adulthood. But the program is established in us, to go against it means to stumble upon contradictions within ourselves.

Religious beliefs are often the cause of controversy. An example is a believer who has sinned and repents. Religion is very strict: fasting, abstinence from sinful acts and thoughts. The believer understands that he should not sin, but temptation takes over. We are all human, we all have our own weaknesses.

One’s own beliefs, attitudes, and frameworks also create an internal conflict for the individual. It can drag on for years, causing constant discomfort up to nervous exhaustion. For example, a woman who has gained weight after giving birth. She wants to return to her previous forms, to be beautiful. But she cannot overcome herself and believes that her husband is obliged to love her like this. Constant stress forces you to break your diet, and this causes depression.

Or another example: a son who lives with his parents. He becomes an adult and begins to live his own life. Strict upbringing in the family taught him to obey his parents. And so, a thirty-year-old man comes home strictly at nine in the evening, cannot afford to buy a leather jacket instead of a down jacket, and does not even think about bringing girls home, because his mother does not like them all.

Classification of internal personal conflict

I identify the following types of conflict malaise:

• equivalent;
• vital;
• ambivalent;
• frustrating.

Equivalent

It develops when two or more important tasks need to be completed. To resolve this situation, it is necessary to resort to a compromise.

Vital

It appears when an individual has to accept solutions to a problem that are unattractive to him. This is where depression and depression arise.

Ambivalent

It develops when desire simultaneously attracts and repels.

Frustrating

It arises when needs contradict public opinion, accepted norms and beliefs, thereby preventing the achievement of what is desired.

Types of intrapersonal conflict

Now I will give several more types of psychological illness, which differ depending on the place of origin. However, the general features of all these types are similar to each other.

Moral

This is the most common type of contradiction, which develops due to moral principles and the desire to violate them. For example, a man sitting in a subway car understands that he must give up his seat to an elderly person, but he is so tired from work that he cannot overcome his fatigue and get up. The whole trip he is tormented by confrontation: his mind insists on his selfish behavior, and fatigue does not allow him to do the right thing.

Sexual

It is formed mainly in people prone to embarrassment and shame. For example: a man wants to diversify his intimate life with his wife, but he does not dare to do so, because he is afraid of a negative reaction and of being a pervert in the eyes of his wife. He is ashamed to tell his other half about his desires because of shyness. Because of this, cognitive dissonance appears, which leads to satisfaction of sexual needs on the side, and then divorce.

Religious

Faith is a powerful tool that helps to distinguish evil from good and to commit unscrupulous acts. But all the covenants are difficult to follow; even people who have formed strong religious beliefs often face temptations and seductions, provoking their confrontation with morality.

For example, a religious teenager experiences passionate sympathy for a girl, he begins to produce hormones, this pushes him to romantic actions and passion. However, he realizes that these actions will lead to sin and are contrary to his beliefs and rules.

Political

Internal conflict is a mental disorder that also occurs in people who fight for territory and to defend people's interests. Such individuals experience constant fear, because they have to risk their lives to defend their beliefs.

Love

Constant confrontation between mind and heart is typical for lovers. They form the habit of constantly spending time together, which does not allow them to break off the relationship. Each partner experiences breakups in their own way, some become the initiators of the breakup, others realize its inevitability. But even full awareness of what is happening pushes a person to various stupid actions: alcohol, harassment, calls, finding out the reasons.

Cognitive dissonance due to self-esteem

Often people experience self-doubt due to certain complexes and shortcomings. For example: excess weight, excessive thinness, birthmarks. Often, due to low self-esteem, a person tries to change himself, and this does not always work. She cannot come to terms with her shortcomings and love herself, this gives rise to contradictions. Devastation also occurs from a bad haircut, excess weight after pregnancy, or an accident in which one’s appearance was damaged.

Social

It comes from a relationship with one specific person or with a specific group of people. In most cases, teenagers face such a conflict and become outcasts in the classroom. Every day they have to fight judgment. Often this gives rise to internal complexes, the child begins to doubt himself and his strengths, and experiences loneliness.

Existential

This is the most complex and severe form of conflict. It mainly appears among maximalists. People in this category cannot understand their purpose. They constantly question the relevance of their lives. Also, confrontation is formed if an individual loses the meaning of existence and the ability to express himself.

This condition often manifests itself in adolescents in adolescence, as well as in a person who is experiencing a crisis at 30 years old. This disorder is accompanied by drastic changes: work, style, image, divorce, infidelity.

Resolving psychological problems with Daria Milai

Intrapersonal experiences are a conflict between emotions and reason; resolving this confrontation is not so easy. Personality is formed before the age of five, at this stage the child develops complexes that affect internal psychological disorders. To get rid of them, sign up for my consultation, I will help you:

• effectively build interpersonal relationships;
• deal with shortcomings and insecurities;
• get rid of fears and depression;
• prevent the presence of alcohol and drugs in your life;
• develop your own potential.

Ways to deal with conflict

In order to permanently resolve psychological contradictions, it is necessary to approach this problem with all seriousness, make every effort and fully concentrate on it. Recovery takes place in five stages:

1. It is worth recognizing the presence of a disorder; acceptance is an important stage of the struggle.
2. It is necessary to conduct a deep analysis and identify all the reasons. Break everything down point by point.
3. It is necessary to work through every problem that has become a source of development of confrontation. A person must make the right decision and decide on the choice of option: act by listening to reason or feelings. It is extremely difficult to choose on your own; you should contact a professional psychologist.
4. Deal with anxious thoughts, free your head from negative thinking, and allow positivity to enter your brain.
5. Work on your attitudes.

Take care of your nervous system, all problems disappear over time and become unimportant.

Ways to resolve intrapersonal conflict

Psychological work to eliminate intrapersonal contradiction is a painstaking process that requires thoughtfulness and diligence. It takes place in 5 stages:

1. The first is awareness of the problem.
2. The second is identifying the causes, in-depth analysis. Problems are broken down into individual parts. The process is similar to unraveling a knot. It needs to be loosened up to understand where all these threads come from.
3. Next, work on each aspect in turn. A person must understand which part of the internal conflict still needs to win. This is not easy to do on your own. If it doesn’t work, call the helpline or make an appointment with a psychotherapist. The problem is that the opinions of others can completely confuse everything. Each person has his own beliefs. And it’s not a fact that they are correct
4. If we are talking about anxiety, its causes are analyzed. Pull the thread and understand what you are afraid of. Does everyone in your situation feel this way? Is there really a risk? Do fears help you? They must be eliminated completely. Because fear's eyes are really big.
5. Work on beliefs. Example: remorse is a useless oppressive feeling. It is necessary to get rid of it. Remember, all people make mistakes.

So, one by one, the individual must put each of his beliefs on the scale and understand that the world is not divided into black and white. Situations are different, but all these are just situations, they will disappear in a year. And your nervous system will remain with you. Take care of her.

Consequences of mental disorder

A conflicting state can bring both a positive and negative outcome. It depends on how a person recovers and copes with this ailment.

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Positive consequences occur when the individual does not run away from the problem and does not deny its existence. In the process of healing, he gets to know himself, analyzes the reasons for the formation of confrontation. Sometimes he manages to satisfy two needs at once. If a person has successfully passed this difficult stage of life, it means that she has improved herself and become psychologically more stable and stronger.

Negative consequences are depression, crises, depression, and the development of mental illness.

You cannot run away from yourself, so you need to make every effort to resolve cognitive dissonance and live a normal life with a healthy psyche.

What is the danger

The longer you suffer from conformity, the worse the consequences. I will list the main problems that arise when you neglect your psychological state:

• constant depression;
• suicidal tendencies;
• neurosis;
• loss of interest in hobbies;
• reluctance to communicate with loved ones;
• degradation;
• the emergence of an inferiority complex;
• decreased self-esteem.

Individuals who have been unable to resolve conflicts for years often begin to behave aggressively or, on the contrary, become indifferent, pliable, and refuse to take responsibility and make decisions for others.

There are also disagreements that occur hidden; people live with them for years and do not notice them and do not pay attention to them. But sooner or later, even unnoticed symptoms manifest themselves and lead to serious consequences. Be attentive to your health, both physical and psychological, and do not be afraid to visit psychologists. This will make it easier for you to get through this difficult period.

Properties of intrapersonal conflict

When contradictions are constantly operating within, an individual cannot find balance or harmony. The mind constantly argues in favor of one or the other, but it cannot completely overcome the contradictions. He experiences discomfort that he may not even notice. The main sign of internal conflict is a violation of internal harmony. The consequences resemble a collapsing house of cards. Following constant discomfort and the inability to resolve contradictions, comes aggressiveness or apathy (depending on the innate temperament, the fight or flight reaction). It begins to corrode from the inside. A person may be aware of the problem itself. But what processes it triggers in the psyche is difficult to understand on your own.

The overall nature of the problem is destructive. First for the psyche, and then for the body. Against the background of nervous diseases, real serious physiological abnormalities appear. For example, nervousness and aggressiveness, first of all, hit the stomach. Gastritis or ulcer occurs. Some women are prone to endometriosis and other similar ailments. All diseases really come from nerves. Except for those that are viral in nature or inherited.