Abreaction

Abreaction is a psychoanalytic term referring to the process of reliving a past traumatic experience, usually through the conscious recall of emotions and their associated memories, in order to purge repressed feelings and achieve emotional catharsis or release. This often involves verbal expression, but can also manifest in physical responses like crying, trembling, or even acting out parts of the event. The goal of abreaction is to integrate the traumatic experience into conscious awareness and to reduce its emotional power, thereby alleviating psychological distress and facilitating healing. It's frequently employed within therapeutic contexts such as psychoanalysis and trauma therapy, offering a pathway toward processing and resolving unresolved emotional conflicts arising from past events.

Abreaction meaning with examples

• During the therapy session, Sarah experienced an abreaction, vividly recalling the accident that injured her as a child and sobbing uncontrollably as she relived the fear and pain. This emotional release allowed her to finally begin processing the trauma and reduce its influence on her daily life.
• The soldiers, after returning from war, were encouraged to participate in group therapy to facilitate abreaction; sharing their experiences and emotional reactions allowed them to confront their suppressed feelings about the horrors of the conflict.
• The therapist guided the patient through a series of guided visualizations designed to stimulate an abreaction, helping them to revisit childhood memories and confront the emotional impact of an abusive parent, ultimately leading to increased self-understanding.
• After years of avoiding the topic, the woman began to experience an abreaction in which the painful memories of her abandonment by her parents overwhelmed her and brought about many tears that offered some relief and clarity after years of anxiety.