Psychiatry and Society

Rejecting an unwanted lover unceremoniously can be dangerous . Rejection sensitivity and aggression by the scorned male can have disastrous consequences. Last week a college girl was attacked with a sickle for doing so. The demographic profile of students at our clinic is probably a representation of the Pune student population. Many students feel socially and culturally alienated while having to cope on their own with minimal family support. Some have no one to express their feelings or thoughts to. A smile or other facial expressions from a classmate or a single phrase while watching a game are viewed as tokens of intimacy. Subsequent fantasising invests these facial expressions and interactions with an excessive significance. That the girl does not initiate or acknowledge further interaction is rationalised as shyness and considered a virtue, further embedding the myth of intimacy. The concept of gender equality may be alien  in the culture of the student. I...

The Erectile Dysfunction-Relationship Cycle Erectile and sexual dysfunction in an ongoing relationship usually reflects difficulties between the partners. Relationship problems  interfere with sexual feelings and cause or worsen erectile dysfunction.  Any experience that hinders the ability to be intimate, that leads to a feeling of inadequacy or distrust, or that develops a sense of being unloving or unlovable may result in erectile dysfunction.  Successive episodes of impotence are reinforcing. The man becomes increasingly anxious about his next sexual encounter. Erectile dysfunction is worsened by anticipatory anxiety about achieving and maintaining an erection interferes.  Sexual dysfunction interferes with pleasure in sexual contact and reduces ability to respond to sexual stimulation. Erectile Dysfunction in the relationship cycle In the early years of the relationship Lack of knowledge - there is a refractory period after sex ...

Rejection experienced in an intimate relationship can trigger unexpected aggression with sometimes fatal consequences. A working woman in Pune was stabbed to death in her home when she spurned the marriage proposal of a good friend. Another 17 year-old girl from Hadapsar was stabbed in the stomach for rebuffing the overtures of a relative. Why would a man assault a woman after professing his love to her? Many instances of aggression arise from events where an individual perceives he is not sufficiently loved or valued in the context of an intimate relationship. People differ in their readiness to perceive and react to rejection . The desire to belong is a basic human need. Some maintain equanimity while others over-react in ways that harm their relationships and their well-being. Hostility and aggression are among the most destructive reactions to rejection. Low self-esteem, depression, jealousy, self-neglect and a breakdown of daily routine are other painful outcomes of being reje...

Some relationships are characterised by conflict and strain and this can be detrimental to mental health in youth. Romantic relationships are important for mental health during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Satisfaction in the relationship is strongly related to regard and empathy with the partner (Cramer 2003). Intimacy increases positive feelings in the relationship. The perceived quality of a relationship depends more on the presence of intimacy than on absence of conflict (Laurenceau 2005). We have already noted the various the reactions to breakup of relationships. We now take a look at some psychological aspects of conflict and strain in ongoing relationships of young persons. Gender aspects of ongoing relationships For a young woman an ongoing and current relationship is associated with feelings of psychological well-being. For her just being in a romantic relationship provides a social identity and increases feelings of self- worth. This need to be in...

Breakups in non-marital relationships are a source of stress in youth . Breakups are a major reason for self-referral at the Clinic. Stress arises from conflict in daily interaction between the couple and peaks at the time of breakup. The individual’s reaction to breakup of the relationship depends on his or her attachment style . Reactions to breakup depend on individual attachment style There are four attachment styles displayed in relationships . These attachment styles are delineated based on the individuals capacity for intimacy  (interest in and comfort with closeness and interdependence) and independence (less dependence on partner’s approval, and reduced anxiety about abandonment) (Bartholomew and Horowitz, 1991). How do individuals react during a breakup? Intense reactions occur in those individuals whose partners terminated the relationship, those who were more emotionally involved in the relationship, and those high in attachment anxiety. Emotionally secure i...

In a jealous rage a Pune immigrant murdered his family - wife and two daughters - with an axe. He then attempted suicide. He suspected his wife of infidelity. Evolution of jealousy As with socio-sexuality , jealousy has an evolutionary basis that arises out of natural selection (Harris, 2003). Sexual jealousy drives males to guard against cuckoldry thereby ensuring that a rivals genes are not passed on through their mate. Emotional jealousy drives females to ensure her mates continued investment in her own offspring. Psychodynamics of jealousy, rage and murder Freud showed morbid jealousy to be the deepest form of paranoia . His analysis indicated use of the defense mechansims of denial and projection to protect against threatening homosexual impulses - I do not love him—she (a wife, lover) loves him . Othello struggled with jealousy until he murdered Desdemona and then committed suicide. Murder or homicide can be understood as rage directed externally while suicide is rage d...

Parents worry that social networks like Facebook could have harmful psychological effects on their children. They seek consultation for social network related behaviour of their teenagers when academic grades fall due to excessive time spent on Facebook, when the teenager is subjected to cyberstalking, or when they themselves are disturbed by the online self-profile of their child. What do we know about some of these social networking behaviours that bring parents and their children to the Clinic? Friends, self-presentation and self-esteem Posting a profile assists the teenager in gaining self-awareness. Becoming self-aware by viewing one's own Facebook profile enhances self-esteem (Gonzales and Hanock, 2010). A larger number of Facebook friends and  an exaggerated positive self-presentation does enhance the teenager’s well-being. However this is not necessarily associated with a sense of belonging to a supportive group. A more honest self-presentation does increase ha...

Last week I gave a talk on Personality and Sexuality. One question that cropped up was - "How do I know if my partner is cheating on me?" By chance the next morning there was a newspaper article attributing uncommitted sex, one-night stands, and acts of infidelity to genetics. Individuals who have frequent sex with multiple partners are psychologically different from those who have frequent sex with single partner (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). This sociosexual difference places individuals in two groups Unrestricted sociosexual types , have a higher number of sexual partners, and one night stands. They have a permissive attitude to casual and uncommitted sex. Restricted sociosexual types , require greater closeness and commitment before sex with their romantic partner.   Genetics plays an important role in sociosexuality Genes evolve to enhance survival of the species. From an evolutionary viewpoint females reproduce with a mate who will invest in ...