anticathexis

noun

an·​ti·​ca·​thex·​is -kə-ˈthek-səs, -ka- How to pronounce anticathexis (audio)
plural anticathexes -ˌsēz How to pronounce anticathexis (audio)
: diversion of mental energy by the ego to block undesirable or objectionable impulses of the id from entering the consciousness : suppression of cathexis by the ego
Anticathexis causes a displacement from a guilt- or anxiety-provoking object or event to one that does not cause guilt or anxiety.B. R. Hergerhahn, An Introduction to the History of Psyschology

called also countercathexis

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Cite this Entry

“Anticathexis.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/anticathexis. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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