Forget his fears, his shyness to do, say, show off, forget control to let go of his impulses. Disinhibition has found its world, that of social networks. Between damage and benefits.

Opposed to inhibition which means controlling how you react to what is going on around you, disinhibition is about saying or doing something on a whim, without thinking ahead of time what the problem might be. undesirable or even dangerous result. There is also another way of thinking about disinhibition: as reduced control over your impulses or impulses, which means being unable to stop, delay or modify (“inhibit”) an action that is not appropriate. to the situation you find yourself in. Disinhibition can be:

• emotional, through the easy expression of feelings, whether positive or negative (anxiety, sadness, anger, love, joy);
• verbal, by words, insults, yelling or familiarity;
• fantasmatic, through the expression of fantasies or desires;
• physical, through gestures towards others, nudity or the physical expression of one’s emotions;
• sexual, through unbridled sexuality without taboos.

Disinhibition is characterized by:

• lack of modesty and restraint;
• familiar verbal or physical behavior;
• the absence of all fear;
• some endangerment;
• heightened self-confidence;
• an enterprising attitude;
• exhibitionism;
• awkward or rude comments;
• touching. 

Disinhibited or impulsive actions often have undesirable or even harmful results. Why ? Because uninhibited individuals range from simply inappropriate behavior, such as suddenly taking food from someone else’s plate, to needlessly risky and even dangerous, such as theft, fire, explosive attacks. of rage or self-harm. Even though disinhibition occurs in stages, a few seconds may elapse between the thought of the impulsive act and its execution. The person will first of all feel a sensation of increasing tension or excitement, an urge. Then she will act impulsively and feel pleasure, relief or a feeling of fulfillment, satisfaction. After the act, she may feel guilt or regret. Disinhibition is a hallmark of addiction to alcohol and drugs. The concept of uninhibition can lead us to mistakenly think that what is uninhibited is more real or true than the part of us that inhibits.

We know that on the internet, individuals tend to say and do what they would not do and would not say in the material world. Anonymity (no one knows me, no one can see me, communication is asynchronous), facilitates disinhibition. According to John R. Suler, professor of psychology at Rider University (New Jersey), people are relaxed, have less restraint and speak more openly. They do not hesitate to share personal information, revealing their emotions, their fears, their desires. They can even sometimes go so far as to show kindness, generosity towards others. This disinhibition is not always so beneficial. But we are also seeing a surge of profanity, harsh criticism, anger, hatred, even threats. It’s the underground world of the internet, a place of pornography, crime, violence, a world they wouldn’t explore in the real world. 

Some people in certain online situations uninhibit themselves and reveal aspects of themselves. However, at the same time, they may not be grappling with the underlying causes of this inhibition and therefore miss an opportunity to find out something important about themselves, something very true, but often unconscious. . While anonymity in cyberspace alleviates people’s anxiety so that they are more comfortable expressing themselves, they also bypass a critical component of who they are. Important personality dynamics are built into this anxiety.

Of course, everyone has times when the “uninhibited” behavior doesn’t hurt and even helps to have a good time, like slacking off on a dance floor at a party. People who are strongly inhibited and who suffer from it can reap real benefits by going, for example, to theater lessons, dance lessons. On account of the benefits, improved self-confidence, emotional release, reduced anxiety, improved sleep, better socialization, improved psychosomatic disorders and general well-being. It frees the person who becomes more enterprising and who acquires better self-confidence.

Online disinhibition also has a positive side, since it allows some to make an effort to better understand themselves, to solve their problems. Cyberspace is a great opportunity for shy people who can thrive there when the disinhibition effect allows them to express who they “really” are inside. But if we can just remove repression, suppression, and other defense mechanisms, we’ll find the “real” me below.