Self-Hatred and Self-Criticism
Self-criticism may disguise anger about unmet expectations for ourselves and our lives.
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Mental health
Winners and Losers
Hyper-competitiveness and a focus on the winning, with contempt for losers, often reflects a defense against underlying feelings of shame and inferiority.
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Separation and Merger
Each of us can bear differing degrees of separation and distance from our loved ones.
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The (Sometimes) Awful Truth
Personal growth involves learning to feel deeply, however painful those feelings may be, and to think clearly about our experience.
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Mixed Emotions: Loving and Hating the Same Person
A mixture of love and hostility toward our intimates is a fact of psychic life, but difficult for most of us to acknowledge and tolerate.
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Basic Shame, Toxic Shame
Basic shame is the awareness, often unconscious, that we are emotionally damaged. This article discusses how the excruciating experience of being broken or damaged leads to certain defensive and avoidant behaviors to escape from it.
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The Pot Calling the Kettle Black
Projection is an ordinary part of our psychic life. This article discusses the phenomenon and enlarges our understanding of what “projecting” actually means.
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Psychological Defensiveness and Self-Deception
Defense mechanisms are lies we tell ourselves to ward off painful truths
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