Sublimation: the art of reorienting our anxieties

Sometimes we count or accumulate anguish so great that we do not know how to manage it.. It is an intense suffering, which we let little by little take over us. Now, there are mechanisms to defend ourselves, and put a barrier to that deep feeling. Through sublimation we can redirect this suffering!

So, although it is human nature to go through difficult moments that cause us discomfort, We can put a limit on our anxieties. Even reorient them, giving them a healthier direction, wonderful right? Through sublimation we can give another form to suffering. Below we tell you what exactly we are talking about, what its benefits are and some ways to sublimate.

Sublimation, what is it about?

Sublimation is part of the defense mechanisms described by Sigmund Freud. A defense mechanism is a way we have to deal with our anxieties. They arise, for example, when we have a fear that we do not know how to manage.

In the case of sublimation, It arises to redirect our impulses towards something that is accepted at a social level. Freud suggested that it is a way of elaborating drives with the capacity to displace them. Thus, we can understand that it is a mechanism through which we can redirect our anxieties towards behavior that does not penalize us on a social level.

Giving the word to Freud ““culture rests entirely on the coercion of instincts.”, as explained in “’Cultural’ sexual morality and modern nervousness.” In this sense, we would talk about there being issues that are accepted at a cultural level, and through sublimation what we would do is reorient what distresses us to those issues or levels of expression (e.g. painting, literature, sculpture, etc.), incredible true?

Now, Freud was not the only one who spoke about this concept: some of his contemporaries and successors also did so (and continue to do so).. For example, Nietzsche formulated the concept around the same time as Freud, but he placed greater emphasis on artistic sublimation, referring to art as a savior God. Jacques Lacan also mentioned the concept, but emphasized sublimation as a substitutive satisfaction.

Even today this concept continues to be studied. For example, Javier Cuevas del Barrio dedicated a section to the concept of sublimation in his doctoral thesis (University of Málaga). He immersed himself in the influence of this concept in the art of the avant-garde, and he took a tour of the transformation of the concept throughout different authors.

Sublimation, beyond artistic creation

Over time, since the concept of sublimation was formulated, It has been said that one way to redirect suffering is through art, but there are more. Although art is a vehicle for mobilizing emotions, which acts in an unparalleled way as a support to represent our unconscious and conscious aspects, there are more ways to sublimate.

Since sublimation reorients towards something that is socially approved, it is possible to do so through different means. A well-studied way, too, is through work. We can displace our anxieties to something that our culture accepts, in this case work. For example, a surgeon, who instead of following his instincts, performs operations, which is accepted. Thus, he releases the tensions from him.

Besides, we can sublimate by doing sports. It’s about redirecting our anxieties to physical exercise. A way like few others to release the energy that our impulses can contain. Furthermore, when doing sports we produce endorphins, a neurotransmitter that takes care of our mood.

Another way to sublimate that we may not identify as such is through new technologies. These are wonderful resources that we use daily to get out of our anxieties. For example, we can watch series where things are done that would be unacceptable in the real world, such as killing.

Benefits of sublimation

It is difficult for us to be aware of our defense mechanisms because they act in a space that is difficult for our consciousness to pass through, even with anguish that we are not able to recognize. Whether we are aware of it or not, sublimation can bring us great benefits, let’s look at some:

Protects our psyche.Relieves tension.Promotes socialization processes.Facilitates psychological compensation.Change of mental states that can be harmful.It reduces stress.

Each way of sublimating is a benefit for our mental health. Although we are unconscious of this mechanism, we can discover how it acts on us. Self-knowledge and psychotherapy are a great option to explore it.

Sublimation is a defense mechanism that acts as a guide to our anxieties. It takes them to another plane where they express themselves in a healthier way. So, it is a way through which our mind protects us. Instead of following our impulses and doing things outside the law, we begin to direct our anxieties toward issues that are understandable to our society, thus releasing our tensions.

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