Where does cruelty to others come from? A psychologist tells us

Where does cruelty to others come from? A psychologist tells us

Even negative emotions – anger and aggression – can be expressed in a healthy way.

psychotherapist, wellness platform expert level3mind

What is the psychological cause of cruelty?

What is cruelty?

Cruelty is aggression. Aggression arises in the case of internal conflict. We are introduced to it in early childhood. When a child says “I want” – it is his natural process, in which he hears himself and clearly recognizes his need, desire. And often faces external “can’ts”. But parents, educators and other adults are not always ready to explain these “can not”.

Then the child has an unclosed gestalt in which it is necessary to find the “responsible”. It’s good if there is an understanding that it’s not you. But, unfortunately, in most cases there is an unconscious process of “it’s my fault, something is wrong with me, so I can’t get what I really need/want”. This is the first incipient aggression, aka auto-aggression – directed at oneself.

If this process of “wanting” is not closed or aggression is not released, over time it will not go anywhere, but will accumulate. And eventually it comes out in adulthood in the form of internal conflict. It, in turn, is projected into the outside world.

What is happening in the world now is the aggression of others, which they have not learned to cope with from early years. This accumulated discontent had to be discharged somewhere. And by coincidence, this time it manifests itself in this way on a global scale.

Psychologically healthy people have only to stay away from these processes as far as possible. To keep the state of inner balance, calmness, to help and support other people when they ask for it. To keep the inner light and faith in love.