How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Conversion mechanisms

Explanations > Behaviors > Coping > Cognitive mechanisms

Description | Example | Discussion | So what?

We cope with difficulties in various ways. One family of coping mechanisms acts to transform the difficulty in some way.

Aim inhibition: lowering sights to what seems more achievable.
Altruism: Helping others to help self.
Conversion: subconscious conversion of stress into physical symptoms.
Displacement: shifting of intended action to a safer target.
Idealization: playing up the good points and ignoring limitations of things desired.
Post-traumatic growth: Using the energy of trauma for good.
Reaction Formation: avoiding something by taking a polar opposite position.
Somatization: psychological problems turned into physical symptoms.
Sublimation: channeling psychic energy into acceptable activities.
Substitution: Replacing one thing with another.
Symbolization: turning unwanted thoughts into metaphoric symbols.
Trivializing: Making small what is really something big.

So what?

Conversion coping can be confusing as the real problem is hidden behind a different mask. The reasons and route of conversion is not always clear and some exploration can be needed to help understand what is going on.

When people are acting strangely, ask whether this is authentic or whether it is a problem being acted out in some different way.

Conversion mechanisms

So what?

See also