On "The Effort To Drive The Other Person Crazy"
In an article of 1959, 'The Effort to Drive the Other Person Crazy', Searles examined six modes of interpersonal communication, arguing that “each of these techniques tends to undermine the other person's confidence in his own emotional reactions and his own perception of reality”. Among these techniques were switching emotional wavelengths while discussing the same topic; and dealing with different topics (life and death/trivial) while remaining on the same wavelength.
Such attempts at crazy-making were often applied by patients to therapists, who had the task of enduring them without retaliation. Searles added moreover that it was important for the therapist to survive their own wish to kill the patient.
Read more about this topic: Harold Searles
Famous quotes containing the words effort, drive, person and/or crazy:
“We have suffered much, we have worked much, we have made much effort to redeem, in the eyes of God, what was unconventional in our happiness by what was holy in our love.”
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“Expect no trivial truth from me, unless I am on the witness- stand. I will come as near to lying as you can drive a coach and four.”
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“They’re all crazy. They’re all crazy except you and me. Sometimes I have me doubts about you.”
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