Examine Sullivan’s Interpersonal Theory

Dynamism
The interpersonal psychoanalysis focuses on Harry Sullivan’s theory. He believed that a person’s detail on his interpersonal interactions with other people give insights on the cures and the causes of their mental disorders. Sullivan saw the patients would not maintain some aspects of their relationships with other people being aware through a behavior, which is selective inattention. He emphasized on analyzing focus on relationships of patients and their personal interactions to acquire knowledge that affect patterns and personifications. These analyses consisted of detailed questions concerning real time interactions, even those of the analyst.
Harry Stack Sullivan defined stages that are involved in interpersonal development coming from infants to adolescents. In this theory, he described experimentation of sex in adolescence as normal and sexual behavior as a key development task for the young adults. He stated that failing to integrate behaviors involving sex and intimacy could lead to low self-esteem and depressing them (Conci, 2009). Although this theory is part of developmental psychology, there is ongoing debate which is concerned with if his ideas are applicable to any gender. There are no proper investigations, that show Sullivan’s ideas on development in adolescent for both genders. In fact, the research for the sexual behavior and intimacy among the young adults have gone ahead to separate the two.
The key purpose of this study was to look into the correlation between the sexual behavior and the intimacy of the young adults as well as their well-being. That is, adolescents in the late stages engaging in sexual and intimacy activities would show a high level of well-being than those who do not engage in them. He also states that intimacy would make the relationship run smoothly between the sexual behaviors and the well-being of an adolescent ( Bernoff & Hertz, 2008). Other results show that those who were involving themselves in sex and intimacy activities acquired high self-esteem averagely than those who did not. Intimacy enhanced the relationship between the intercourse behaviors and the welfare of female adolescents but not for the young male adults.
Needs and anxiety or malevolence
Sullivan’s theory states that tension is an aspect of experience. Tension is in two types which are needs and also anxiety. Needs in many cases lead to productive actions since they result to a positive correlation with others, which bring about healthy meaningful relationships. However, anxiety results to unproductively disintegrating behaviors, which lead to unhealthy relationships. The Proverbs Book says much about these topics.
In Proverbs 3:3, it talks about how one should show tenderness when with others. It says that one should bind love together with faithfulness around the neck. There is a connection between Sullivan’s theory and this verse. Anxiety and the strife bring in disharmony on in between our relationships with others. Anxiety and the fear can feed off every one and not clearly define what the mains needs are. We all have fear of things such as, spiders. However, putting trust in the Lord with the whole heart, one will conquer the fear of spiders and will let them do anything that your hearts wants to do.
Intimacy, Lust and Self-System
Sullivan found that many mutual relations came about during preadolescence. This period ends and the stage of being a young adult is initiated by the start of genital sexuality, but psychologically driven by the movement of interest in one’s own sex to the other person’s sex. Manifestations of puberty go in hand with lustful sensations, which create lust dynamism ( Flores, 2008). The need in heterosexuality is strong as well as the intimacy needs. Attempts to balance all these to reduce tension that come about from these three may result to conflicts in adults.
Until there is a behavior to satisfy lust dynamism, adolescence will continue. Adolescence in its late stages encompasses a long period to initiate adult roles and strengthens self-system. Adulthood is when one can form love for the other significant person to be like one’s self.
Reference
Conci. M. ( 2009). Sullivan Revisited – Life and Work. New York: Tangram Ediz. Scientifiche.
Bernoff, J. & Hertz .P. (2008). Inside Out & Outside. New York: Jason Aronson.
Flores, P. (2008).Group Psychotherapy With Addicted Populations: An Integration Of Twelve- Step And Psychodynamic Theory. New York: Routeledge.

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