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Libido

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Libido
Domina Petric, MD
ABSTRACT
Libido can be defined, in wider meaning as
overall life energy, and, in narrower
meaning as overall sexual energy. Libido
affects and shapes personality traits.
Mental health and personality are strongly
affected by the libido. Deviations of libido
can severely affect mental health,
personality and sexual behavior.
INTRODUCTION
Libido is a person´s overall sexual drive or
desire for sexual activity. Libido is
influenced by biological, psychological,
and social factors. Biologically, the sex
hormones and associated neurotransmitters
that act upon the nucleus accumbens
(primarily testosterone and dopamine)
regulate libido in humans. Libido can be
affected by social factors, such as work
and family, internal psychological factors,
such as personality and stress, medical
conditions, medications, lifestyle,
relationship issues and age1.
SIGMUND FREUD
Sigmund Freud is considered the originator
of the modern use of the term libido2. It is
the instinct energy or force, contained in
id, the strictly unconscious structure of the
psyche. Libido is a fundamental instinct
that is innate in all humans3.
Freud developed the idea of a series of
developmental phases in which the libido
fixates on different erogenous zones.
First is the oral stage (exemplified by an
infant´s pleasure in nursing), followed by
the anal stage (exemplified by a toddler´s
pleasure in controlling his or her bowel
movements), then the phallic stage
(spanning the ages of three to six years,
wherein the infant´s libido centers upon his
or her genitalia as the erogenous zone),
followed by latency stage (libido is
dormant), and finally, the genital stage
(starts in puberty, in which the individual
develops a strong sexual interest in people
outside of the family4).
These libidinal drives can conflict with the
conventions of civilized behavior,
represented in the psyche by the superego.
Ego uses defense mechanisms in order to
solve the conflict. Excessive use of defense
mechanisms results in neurosis.
1
Primary goal of psychoanalysis is to bring GEORGE EMAN VAILLANT
the drives of the id into consciousness,
Psychiatrist George Eman Vaillant
allowing them to be met directly and thus
introduced a four-level classification of
reducing the patient´s reliance on ego
5
defense mechanisms7, 8.
defenses .
Level I: pathological defenses
Both Sigmund and Anna Freud studied
defense mechanisms, but Anna spent more 1. Delusional projection: delusions about
of her time and research on five main external reality, usually of a persecutory
mechanisms: nature.

1. Repression: the feeling is hidden and 2. Denial: refusal to accept external reality
forced from the consciousness to the because it is too threatening, arguing
unconscious because it is seen as socially against an anxiety-provoking stimulus by
unacceptable. stating it does not exist, resolution of
emotional conflict and reduction of anxiety
2. Regression: represents falling back into
by refusing to perceive or consciously
an early state of mental/physical
acknowledge the more unpleasant aspects
development because it is seen as less
of external reality.
demanding and safer.
3. Distortion: a gross reshaping of external
3. Projection: possessing a feeling that is
reality to meet internal needs.
perceived as socially inacceptable and
instead of facing it, the feeling or
unconscious urge is seen in the actions of
Level II: immature
other people.
1. Acting out: direct expression of an
4. Reaction formation: acting the
unconscious wish or impulse in action,
opposite way that the unconscious instructs
without conscious awareness of the
a person to behave. This acting is usually
emotion that drives the expressive
exaggerated and obsessive.
behavior.
5. Sublimation: the most acceptable of the
2. Hypochondriasis: an excessive
mechanisms, represents an expression of
preoccupation or worry about having a
anxiety in socially acceptable ways6.
serious illness.

2
3. Passive-aggressive behavior: indirect
expression of hostility.
4. Projection is a primitive form of
paranoia. It reduces anxiety by allowing
the expression of the undesirable impulses
or desires without becoming consciously
aware of them, attributing one´s own
unacknowledged, unacceptable, or
unwanted thoughts and emotions to
another. Projection includes severe
prejudice and jealousy, hypervigilance to
external danger and injustice collecting.
Aim is to shift own unacceptable thoughts,
feelings and impulses onto someone else.
These thoughts, feelings, beliefs and
motivations are perceived as being
possessed by the other.
5. Schizoid fantasy is the tendency to
retreat into fantasy in order to resolve inner
and outer conflicts.
Level III: neurotic
1. Displacement is a defense mechanism
that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses to
a more acceptable or less threatening
target. It is redirecting emotion to a safer
outlet. It is a separation of emotion from its
real object and redirection of the intense
emotion toward someone or something that
is less offensive or threatening in order to
avoid dealing directly with what is
frightening or threatening.
2. Dissociation is temporary drastic
modification of one´s personal identity or
character to avoid emotional distress. It is
separation or postponement of a feeling
that normally would accompany a situation
or thought.
3. Intellectualization is a form of
isolation, concentrating on the intellectual
components of a situation so as to distance
oneself from the associated anxiety-
provoking emotions. It is a separation of
emotion from ideas, thinking about wishes
in formal, affectively bland terms and not
acting on them, avoiding unacceptable
emotions by focusing on the intellectual
aspects.
4. Reaction formation is converting
unconscious wishes or impulses that are
perceived to be dangerous or unacceptable
into their opposites. It is behavior that is
completely the opposite of what one really
wants or feels.
5. Repression is the process of attempting
to repel desires towards pleasurable
instincts, caused by a threat of suffering if
the desire is satisfied. The desire is moved
to the unconscious in the attempt to
prevent it from entering consciousness.
3
Level IV: mature CARL GUSTAV JUNG

1. Altruism is a constructive service to According to Swiss psychiatrist Carl

others that brings pleasure and personal Gustav Jung, the libido is identified as the
satisfaction. totality of psychic energy, not limited to
sexual desire. Jung defines libido as a
2. Anticipation is realistic planning for
desire or impulse which is unchecked by
future discomfort.
any kind of authority, moral or otherwise.
3. Humor is overt expression of ideas and Libido is appetite in its natural state. From
feelings (especially those that are the genetic point of view it is bodily needs
unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to like hunger, thirst, sleep, and sex, and
talk about directly) that gives pleasure to emotional states and affects, which
others. The thoughts retain a portion of constitute the essence of libido9.
their innate distress, but they are skirted
around by witticism.
DISCUSSION
4. Sublimation is transformation of
unhelpful emotions or instincts into healthy Libido can be defined, in wider meaning as
actions, behaviors, or emotions. Example: overall life energy, and, in narrower
playing a heavy contact sport can meaning as overall sexual energy. Libido
transform aggression into a game. affects and shapes personality traits.
Mental health and personality are strongly
5. Suppression is the conscious decision to
affected by the libido. Deviations of libido
delay paying attention to a thought,
can severely affect mental health,
emotion, or need in order to cope with the
personality and sexual behavior. Examples
present reality, making it possible later to
for severe deviations of libido are
access uncomfortable or distressing
numerous sexual deviations (paraphilia).
emotions whilst accepting them. It is
different from repression, in which the Prefrontal cortex (that is implicated in
feeling is hidden and forced from the planning complex cognitive behavior,
consciousness to the unconscious, and it personality expression, decision making
usually stays unconscious. and moderating social behavior) can
manage the libido. Humans can, by using
the prefrontal cortex, inhibit libido, lower
or increase its intensity, or transform the

4
 libido and redirect it toward different types REFERENCES
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creativity, creation of non-sexual
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