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Intrapersonal conflicts are often played out by the voices (subpersonalities) of our Parents.
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Intrapersonal conflicts are conflicts that occur within the personality between its structures, elements and components.
In particular, these may be conflicts:
- conflict of mind and feelings
- between the primary children’s drives and the demands of society (in the psychoanalysis of Z. Freud).
- between interests, needs and drives (in the theory of activity by S.Ya.u.e.shtein and A.N. Leontiev). See the struggle of motives
- between subpersonalities↑ (in the psychosynthesis of R. Assadigioli) or polarities (in Gestalt therapy.
- between meanings (in the theory of cognitive dissonance by L. Festinger) See Conflict of meanings in the theory of cognitive dissonance
Intrapersonal conflicts usually occur when there is no order and master in the soul, when there is no clarity in the priority of values, when a person has forgotten what reason is and does not remember that besides body and soul there is also spirit.
Experiencing intrapersonal conflict
The experience of intrapersonal conflict, like any conflict, is very diverse. For people who tend to experience, intrapersonal conflict is accompanied by strong emotional experiences. For people prone to analysis, intrapersonal conflict is an occasion to delve into themselves with interest. For people with a developed sense of humor and a detached attitude to everything, an intrapersonal conflict is a reason to joke and have fun.
Much also depends on the status of the concept of “intrapersonal conflict” for a person. For people with a very vivid imagination, this is a reality; for others, talking about intrapersonal conflicts is nothing more than a metaphor.
Pros and Cons of Using the Intrapersonal Conflict Metaphor
On the one hand, as a tool in the hands of an experienced and responsible psychotherapist, intrapersonal conflict modeling can push the client to useful and constructive reflections on topics that are important to him.
On the other hand, talking about the conflict of subpersonalities, creating and playing this conflict may not lead to the cessation of the conflict, which, perhaps, did not exist, but just to its creation.
Played in the conflict — believed in the conflict. I believed in the conflict — I went to be treated by a psychotherapist. The psychotherapist now has a job, you have something to do with yourself. See Sick Psychotherapy