Ambivalent Personality: Is it a disorder?
By
PsychReel
In this blog we will answer the question, “Ambivalent Personality: Is it a disorder?”, and also cover topics like what is ambivalence in psychology, characteristics of ambivalence, explore the treatment, and also answer frequently asked questions
Ambivalent Personality: Is it a disorder?
There is no official diagnosis or clinical condition that recognizes ambivalent personality or ambivalence as a mental disorder but it can often be a sign of other mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, etc.
Some people can make decisions without being burdened by uncertainty. They do it fast and don’t have much to worry about when they make the wrong choice. For others, daily decisions, large or small, can cause a lot of anxiety and stress.
Ambivalence is what we experience when we have two conflicting feelings about an individual, situation or thing at the same time. Although we have all experienced ambivalent feelings, constant feelings of ambivalence can be emotionally debilitating.
Ambivalent thinking leads to avoidance, procrastination inhibits emotional growth and maturity and prevents us from reaching our full potential.
Let us explore it in depth.
What is Ambivalence in Psychology?
Psychology defines ambivalence (as an independent personality) as a state of simultaneously opposing reactions, beliefs, or feelings to a person, object, or state of reality. It may or may not be psychologically bad to experience both the positive and negative aspects of the subject area in the mind at the same time.
While people with ambivalent personalities are always aware of their behavior, they do not specifically feel that there is anything wrong with their way of perceiving the world.
So where does that ambivalence come from?
Many psychologists and social scientists report that certain personality traits are likely to be associated with ambivalent attitudes, such as obsessive-compulsive tendencies, poor psychological defense styles (such as neckline), and unhealthy coping skills.
Ambivalent thinkers systematically overestimate all aspects of the situation. They carefully considered all possible options and consequences but remained unable to decide. Ambivalent thinkers are also very afraid of “bad” or “bad” decisions. This thought pattern contributes to the constant movement from one part of the decision gateway to another.
Some ambivalence is normal and healthy. In fact, slightly ambivalent thinkers are considered emotionally and intellectually mature. The average ambivalent thinker is able to recognize and appreciate the world with all its complexities and imperfections.
However, constant ambivalence is what hinders our ability to continue. Constant ambivalence leads to a strict cyclical pattern, where we are constantly moving from one part of the decision-making path to another. When this happens, ambivalence can be an emotional and psychological obstacle to the realization of true happiness and a better life.
Characteristics of Ambivalence
- You will always change your plans
Ambivalent personalities can easily turn the table, and although it seems natural to them, people in their lives may view this view as an inability to follow decisions.
You may be well on your way to planning a trip with friends in Bali, but three days before you left, you drowned and decided that you should only go to India and find a soul without a reasonable explanation.
Ambivalent types do not feel they have to justify their mixed feelings and revolutionary decisions and do what they have to do to settle things, even if it costs money. . life of friends.
- You can’t always decide things
It’s not so much about the inability to decide what to take on now, but rather about constantly thinking about all aspects of the situation in the hope of reaching the right conclusion.
One day you love your job with enthusiasm, the next day you want to introduce yourself and not look back, because going to the office every day can feel like a huge task to you.
- It’s hot for you and then it’s cold
Ambivalent people often leave their romantic partners confused by confusion and emotional pain. It’s not because they like to play, but simply because their feelings for one person or another can vary greatly from day to day.
One day you can feel the absolute love of your significant other, while the next question you have is whether you have made the right decision to enter into a relationship. It’s an endless, exhausting process, and maybe the only thing that helps is patience and trust.
- You ask for everything
You will not be satisfied with simple answers, just as you do not accept most things. You always ask, especially the fear of Why, and you ask people to justify their views and philosophies on a topic, because, in your world, everything is relative and can change.
- You have always been challenged
Ambivalent people may be surprised by their surroundings, which have an hour of conflicting views on the same topic. They analyze things in-depth, but are never completely satisfied with the result.
They will meditate on things when they talk about them, and they will not agree with what they have said before, simply because what they feel now seems more appropriate than what they said before.
- There are problems with the attachment with others
Not because you want to avoid it, or because you want to benefit from other people’s goodness, but because your conflicting content doesn’t always match.
You are a realist and vague, yet romantic. You always have the biggest goal, but people may feel that you are not 100% honest.
- You can be a total sweetheart or a complete jerk
When you first meet someone, you usually follow your intuition, even if they raise red flags, you decide to give them a chance and find out where they are.
While you may be obviously kind and cute to someone you know, you will have the opposite reaction when he does something that confirms your first point of view. You can move someone who pushes you away or just elegantly refuse him and close his door for good.
- You have the wrong energy level
You can be alert and active, or inattentive and quiet. People struggle with your ever-changing energy levels and will always think you have a neurological illness.
In fact, you put a lot of time and energy into the things you want, and this brings fatigue. It is very important to save your internal resources before you turn into a happy, creative, and friendly friend.
- You always think about living somewhere else
You dream a lot about the things you want to do, and you naturally express your thoughts out loud, because that’s your legitimate way to give them your progress.
While some people may be afraid of watching a life you don’t live, you know deeply that one day everything you dream of will come true one way or another.
- You talk a lot about how you feel
Ambivalent personalities are constantly changing the situation on all sides until they are satisfied with the end result.
While people may believe that you cannot decide for yourself, it is your way of finding the best possible solution for any given situation in your life.
You like to talk about things you think with everyone you trust, usually because listening to yourself over and over again helps to give you a better perspective to the issue at hand.
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
Is there a treatment for ambivalence?
Even though it is not officially a disorder or a mental health condition that needs to be treated but the kind of issues it brings in your daily life might be difficult to navigate through and one needs some sort of professional help to deal with this kind of problem.
Psychotherapy and Counselling
People with ambivalent personalities or ambivalence in their nature should seek psychotherapy as it will help them get clarity over themselves and work through their issues in a better manner.
Psychotherapy can help diagnose and resolve the problems that underlie ambivalent attitudes. Problems of intimacy, divorce, trust and self-confidence often cause constant ambivalence.
Treatment aimed at resolving these internal conflicts should help one develop the courage to act, make decisions that are less timid, and have a “go for it” attitude.
Psychotherapists and counsellors also help people with assertiveness skills and that can also be helpful to people struggling with ambivalence and other underlying issues.
Individuals can work with therapists to:
- Learn to open up and explore their concerns in a safe space
- Find ways to get rid of stress and anxiety
- Develop their ability to trust others
- Strengthening their sense of self
- Develop the ability to control your emotions
- Become assertive
- Become mindful
Tips to help yourself with ambivalence related concerns
Here are four tips to help you deal with ambivalence:
- Write down your ambivalent feelings and the circumstances in which they occur.
- Remember that no person or situation is perfect and all people and situations have positive and negative aspects.
- Acknowledge and accept your ambivalent feelings. It does not serve to make quick decisions but it will help you accept whatever you are and take care of yourself.
- Consider seeking professional help to help you with these concerns that might be a hurdle in your everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs): Ambivalent Personality: Is it a disorder?
What is an ambivalent personality?
Psychology defines ambivalence (as an independent personality) as a state of simultaneously opposing reactions, beliefs, or feelings to a person, object, or state of reality.
Is it an ambivalent behavioral trait?
However, ambivalence is a personality trait in this case and we know that it is quite strong. … “But being impartial can be uncomfortable for some people because they feel that they are smart’.
What is an example of ambivalence?
An example of ambivalence is the difficulty of inviting someone to an event because they have a positive attitude towards you, but not towards other participants. … An example of a person in a state of ambivalence is a person who is ill.
Is ambivalence a mental illness?
No, ambivalence is not a mental illness. Even though ambivalence has long been thought to be associated with schizophrenia (Meehl, 1962), ambivalence is also associated with depression (Raulin and Brenner, 1993) but there is no official diagnosis.
How do you reduce ambivalence?
Use the best / worst questions and scale the questions to maximize diversity and resolve ambivalence. Immediately stop in your mind that you see the difference between where you are now and where you want to be. how things get better. Do you remember a time when you were well?
How do you deal with an ambivalent partner?
Be careful when fear takes you away from yourself and return to the healthy feeling of who you are.
Get ready for a long look. …
Do not play the role of a therapist with your partner. Don’t serve your partner and try to solve their problem for him.
Make your own habit of destroying or defeating.