Complexes - what is it in psychology

What are complexes

Complexes in psychology are mental processes that are formed in the unconscious and affect the development of the psyche. The concept of “complex” was introduced into scientific literature by S. Freud’s student, Carl Gustav Jung.

The complex can be compared to a pain point. This is always some kind of shortcoming, real or imagined, which in a person’s mind is exaggerated to the maximum. For example, the most common of them are a big nose and crooked teeth. A person may have an absolutely normal appearance, but in his perception it is distorted.

The complex may not necessarily be caused by appearance. Character traits and painful attachment also become the cause of their occurrence. For example, an inferiority complex, a victim.

The meaning of the word complex

Examples of the use of the word complex in literature.

As for its individual components, when defining and describing some of them it is necessary to take into account others, and not just their role in the complex as a whole.
For the first time in the history of domestic aircraft manufacturing, both projects have been brought to the stage of manufacturing prototypes and conducting a full range of flight tests.

We diverted from the Munich to Berlin route at the Halle motorway exit and took a short trip to the synthetic oil industrial complex in Leuna.

If I dared to make a guess, I would say that this action is most clearly expressed by an extreme tendency towards automatism and fixation, in other words, to the constant action of the complex.

The pride of Russian and Soviet agronomy is the Dokuchaev-Kostychev-Williams complex, the doctrine of the grass-based farming system in relation to the characteristics of individual agricultural zones should become the property of our agronomic and organizational personnel, daily promoted from the departments of higher educational institutions.

We may face a global catastrophe at the end of the path that the agro-industrial complex is currently following, fueled by its income.

The Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee indicated that in order to implement the Food Program, workers in the agro-industrial complex need to increase their efforts every day, to work so that the huge funds allocated to solve this problem give a return today and even greater results tomorrow.

As inspections show, in a number of collective farms, state farms, and agricultural enterprises, proper order has not been established in the accounting, storage and expenditure of material assets.

To achieve this, the party has developed additional measures aimed at increasing the efficiency of all sectors of the agro-industrial complex.

The party and the state will continue to consistently develop the material and technical base of the agro-industrial complex.

Genuine cost accounting and the dependence of enterprise income on final results should become the norm for all parts of the agro-industrial complex, and above all collective and state farms.

Measures to form a unified agro-industrial complex in the country have undergone preliminary testing in Georgia and Estonia.

Rich put what was left of the captain into his spacesuit and injected the captain with an anabiotic complex.

And if something serious actually happens, say a toxic anaerobic bacterium or microbe that is not susceptible to sunlight breaks free, then it will destroy the entire complex with the help of a small nuclear charge, without harming either human lives or the company’s unrecoverable work files .

The Dotovites could now enthusiastically compensate for all their complexes and all their envy in this anti-alcohol struggle.

Source: Maxim Moshkov library

What types of complexes are there?

All complexes can be divided into 2 groups:

• Physical (regarding height/weight/appearance/voice, etc.);
• Mental;

Mental complexes - dissatisfaction with the state of society, discrepancy between one’s expectations from life and reality, etc. They largely manifest themselves in relationships with people. It’s easier with physical complexes: a person is embarrassed by his appearance, weight, skin color. They are caused by both beauty standards imposed by society and real problems (disability, speech impediments, etc.).

Victim complex

On your life's path you will meet at least one person who constantly becomes poor and arouses pity for himself. At first you think: “how cruel fate is towards him, he should be pitied.” Then you notice that the person is deliberately repeating the same scenario. The victim does not seek to get out of his situation.

Why? Because it's profitable. They are pitied and attract a lot of attention with their behavior. The victim complex usually affects orphans or children who did not receive enough parental attention. Or whose parents were too strict. They try with all their might to evoke pity and compassion. But they never make any attempt to change their life for the better. Because subconsciously they do not want to leave the victim state.

Napoleon complex, growth complex

The short man complex or Napoleon complex is one of the most famous. It appears when a person of short stature tries in every possible way to compensate for his shortcomings. Increased aggression, flashy wealth, etc.

Girls, on the contrary, have a complex about being tall. Everything is connected with stereotypes imposed in society: “a man is tall and strong, and a woman is weak and defenseless.”

Age complexes

Concerns about age are more common among women. Middle-aged ladies are embarrassed by their age and try in every possible way to hide it. As one of the manifestations of the complex: a woman wears short skirts, unfashionable teenage clothes, looks vulgar and inappropriate. It also manifests itself in behavior and speech.

In men, age complexes manifest themselves differently. Due to the fact that by a certain age a man has not been able to build a career and start a family, he falls into depression and apathy.

What does messianic complex mean?

The Messiah is a savior, a spiritual leader. A person’s desire to help all those who suffer, to save everyone and everyone from themselves is a messianic complex, a savior complex.

A girl chooses marginal men for herself and believes that they will change with her - this is a clear manifestation of the savior complex. The complex occurs in romantic relationships and friendships. A man is more inclined to “save” materialistic friends or manipulative parents.

Electra complex and Oedipus complex

In child psychology there are 2 common complexes: Electra and Oedipus. This is the attraction of a daughter to her father (Electra), and the attraction of a son to her mother (Oedipus).

The differences between the two conditions are not significant. In both complexes, the child wants the parent of the opposite sex to belong only to him. Electra is jealous of her father for her mother, and Oedipus is jealous of her mother for her father. At the same time, the child experiences complex remorse for his feelings.

The condition does not disappear with the transition to adulthood, but is aggravated by sexual problems. To the point that the child is looking for a partner similar to his father/mother.

How do psychological complexes arise in childhood?

Psychological complexes can be formed in the process of education. Parents, close relatives and teachers are able to bring them into the life of an unformed little person. Wanting to raise a child correctly, not to spoil him, relatives often criticize their child too much, compare him with his peers (not for the better), publicly punish him, and thereby cultivate in him uncertainty, shame and lack of self-acceptance. Phrases uttered by adults with derogatory intonations and a rude attitude towards a child are the cause of problems in the future. Psychological complexes appear in many children from early childhood.

Parenting is, of course, a very responsible and difficult task. But if you try to exactly match someone according to the written rules and ideals, then there are very many chances that a person will grow up with many psychological complexes. It is simply impossible to live in a world according to a textbook; people also need different emotions, both positive and negative. They also need to make mistakes, because it teaches us something new and gives us life experience.

Psychological complexes are very tenacious. They are easy to acquire, but extremely difficult to get rid of. If parents, not giving the child enough tenderness and love, say, for example, hurtful, humiliating words that only snotty girls cry, and normal boys control themselves, that only pigs are dirty, that with such performance at school the child will become only a janitor, then he will develop an inferiority complex. Naturally, this kind of statement is very traumatic, leaving a mark for the rest of your life. Quite often, already as an adult, self-sufficient person, a man or woman remembers their childhood grievances. The words or actions of parents are not forgotten, but come out with insults and reproaches while working with a psychologist or psychotherapist. In the future, the emergence of various mental disorders and somatic diseases is also possible, where, of course, neurotic disorders occupy a special place. And then you will need the help of a doctor, including a specialist such as a psychiatrist.

An inferiority complex develops in a situation where parents do not believe in the abilities of their own child. They suggest that a son or daughter will never succeed, that the child is bad, stupid, and that the parent is destroying the potential of their child. Instead of motivation - oppression and humiliation. Comparisons with other people are even more traumatic, of course, not in favor of your child. A feeling of inferiority, inability to cope with difficulties, and a feeling of guilt is formed. And also envy or aggression may appear towards those who comply with the wishes of the parents, whom they praise, the so-called. ideals.

Sometimes one of the parents, more often the mother, instills in the child demonstrative sacrifice, saying that she left her career for him, lost her health, beauty, a lot of time, and finances. Manipulation of feelings is also common. Mom can say that she felt terribly bad and hurt when her son got a bad grade, but she still cooked him lunch. Such phrases form a guilt complex in the child.

The emergence of psychological complexes in childhood, when children cannot appreciate criticism and remarks that they perceive literally, can subsequently become very resistant to psychotherapeutic work.

Psychological complexes begin to form under the influence of significant people. The opinion of strangers plays a much smaller role here, for example, what your neighbors’ friends will say about your new dress, but if your loved one, relative or friend doesn’t like it, this can cause a lot of negative experiences.

Why complexes arise

The causes of complexes are divided into several groups:

• traumatic experience (insults, bullying, psychological pressure);
• unhealthy relationships with parents (overbearing single mother, strict father, development in a single-parent family);
• stereotypes, social pressure;
• psychical deviations.

People with active mental disorders are more prone to developing complexes than mentally healthy people.

Where do complexes come from?

In adulthood, complexes are rarely formed. More often it is a relic of adolescence, which a person could not get rid of in his conscious years. If childhood and adolescence were painful, a person is likely to carry several complexes into adulthood.

How to understand that a person has complexes

If a person constantly worries about a problem, it is not easy to hide it. It reveals everything: from appearance to timbre of speech, random phrases in a conversation. We have collected 5 obvious signs that a person has complexes:

1. Focus on the problem.
2. An appearance that attracts a lot of attention.
3. The habit of excessively complaining or praising oneself.
4. A man talks only about himself.
5. Asks for compliments.

When a person constantly talks about a shortcoming that is invisible to others, it immediately reveals complexes.

Variants of manifestation of psychological complexes:

1. Unconscious, when they are enshrined in the subconscious and invariably influence a person’s life, they interfere with feeling satisfactory, developing and enjoying the environment. But with the complex of overestimating the significance of one’s personality, one can live even with pleasure, although a person does not understand that in relation to people and events his attitude is destructive, and, perhaps, towards himself. But this understanding may come later, and then most likely with the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist.
2. Conscious, when a person understands that he has psychological complexes that also prevent him from living for his own pleasure, but they can be very difficult to overcome on his own.

How to get rid of complexes

An experienced psychotherapist will make it easier to get rid of complexes. It is almost impossible to do this on your own, because you do not know what shaped the development of your complex. We cannot look at our lives objectively. Therefore, each psychologist has his own psychologist.

Why are complexes dangerous?

Society doesn't like people with complexes. They attract the same complex people. For example, the common pair “victim + savior”. Such relationships do not end with a happy ending. Complex people rarely achieve success in life. More often they cannot build healthy relationships with others and create a full-fledged family.

Is it necessary to fight complexes?

Putting up and living side by side with complexes is harmful. This has a significant impact on your self-esteem and psyche. Each complex requires its own approach. It is impossible to get rid of everyone at once. You need to deal with problems consistently and gradually so that they do not turn into a serious obstacle to a happy life.

And a little more about the complex

The word “complex” is also used when talking about exercises that pursue a specific goal, for example, losing weight. This type of physical activity is aimed at burning fat in areas of the body that are problematic. In fact, most people know the meaning of the word “complex”. Many people have heard about the benefits of physical activity. What should be taken into account when performing such a set of exercises?

The most important thing: physical activity should not tire you too much. You should not follow the example of professional athletes. The fact is that excessive and too diligent exercise can lead to the body starting to store energy. It is logical that you will constantly want to eat.

Food helps replenish energy. And your main task is to lose weight, not set a record, and this is what a set of exercises for burning fat is aimed at. You must always remember this.

List of human complexes

Victimization - what is it in psychology

Inadequate attitudes can apply to any life situation. The root of any complex is a lack of faith in one’s ability to achieve results and an obsession with weaknesses.

Many types of complexes are named after some characters:

1. Pinocchio. The habit of constantly lying.
2. Victim. A person subconsciously strives to be a victim and attracts people who will harm him.
3. Cinderella is a passive expectation of a prince on a white horse or a princess, if we are talking about a man.
4. And she. The complex is accompanied by a fear of development.
5. Excellent student. The desire to be perfect in everything. But that doesn't happen. There will always be a subject in school (for example, geography) that you will not succeed in. From here a complex is born, which will later be transferred to life. The education system is largely to blame for the formation of perfectionism (its second name).
6. A bachelor is a fear of women and responsibility in marriage.

Fear of being judged by others

Interesting fact! The presence of complexes indicates the psychological health of the individual. A person with mental disabilities is not able to evaluate himself. It is complexes that stimulate development. The main thing is to react to them correctly.

Physical complexes

This is an inadequate belief when a person is dissatisfied with his appearance in one form or another. In extreme cases, this can lead to dysmorphomania - a disease in which a person is convinced of the presence of a non-existent defect in appearance. As a rule, this is age-related and goes away after 20 years. Often a person harms himself, trying to get rid of an invented flaw.

The process of formation of complexes

A psychological complex is a person’s distorted view of his mental, physical and psychological abilities.

Presenting one's shortcomings in the wrong light leads to nervous tension; the individual constantly thinks about his shortcomings, although he tries to hide it from others.

This suffering is the result of past psychological trauma. This type of trauma occurs when a person experiences unbearable emotional pain. Human complexes in psychology mean a set of conscious and unconscious thoughts, feelings, sensations associated with trauma, as well as methods of protecting one’s mind from it. At the moment of danger, the human consciousness remembers everything connected with this situation.

Constantly thinking about your shortcomings leads to nervous disorders

Every person, suddenly sensing the aroma of perfume or hearing a musical rhythm, notices an increase in mood. There are times when he has a feeling of approaching danger. In psychology, these manifestations are called “anchors.” At the moment of psychological trauma, the consciousness tries to remember everything that is connected with it as much as possible, so that in the future it will be able to warn the body in advance and prepare it for flight or fight. Thus, we have 2 options for manifestation.

1. Unconscious ones are “anchors”.
2. Conscious - a persistent manifestation of the psychological characteristics of the individual.