Oedipus complex and Electra complex: What are they? – Online Psychologists

He Oedipus complex and the Electra complex are two very important concepts within psychoanalysis. The Oedipus complex refers to a set of emotions and feelings that arise in children. They are feelings of love and tenderness that they develop towards parents of the opposite sexThat is, boys imitate their fathers and girls imitate their mothers.

They do this with the goal of winning over the other parent. Freud defined the Oedipus complex as “the unconscious desire to maintain a sexual relationship with the parent of the opposite sex and to eliminate the parent of the same sex.”

On the other hand, the Electra complex It is a term proposed by the psychiatrist and psychologist Carl Gustav Jung in 1912. This concept was established to give meaning to the feminine part of the Oedipus complex. This case consists of the opposite. It speaks of the emotional attraction of the girl for the paternal figure.

Oedipus was a mythical king of Thebes, son of Laius and Jocasta. Laius discovered that he was going to be killed by his own son and, to prevent this, he handed him over to a servant. The servant disobeyed the king and handed him over to a shepherd. The shepherd decided to take him in and later hand him over to the kings of Corinth, Polybus and Merope.

The kings raised them as if they were their own son. However, Oedipus heard many rumors throughout his young life that the kings were not his biological parents. Because of this, he decides to leave and embark on a journey to Thebes.

During this journey he meets his real father, Laius. During the meeting, a kind of misunderstanding occurred that infuriated Oedipus. As a result, he He killed his fatherwithout knowing who he really was.

After Oedipus marries Jocastahis mother. Jocasta, upon discovering that Oedipus was her son, decided to commit suicide. Oedipus could not bear either suicide or the shame of incest, so he decided flee and wander around Greece.

He Electra complex It also has its origin in the Greek mythology. Electra was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Electra decided to avenge her father, who was killed by her mother's lover. So Electra encouraged her brother to kill his mother and his lover, guilty of the death of his father.

The psychoanalysts compared the two complexes. In doing so, they came to the conclusion that, despite being so similar, They are different from each other. In fact, they are established three characteristics different:

A conclusion is reached after analyzing these differences. It is relatively normal that the girl comes to say that wants to marry his father either feel jealous if someone approaches him. After all, the father figure is his first contact with the male gender. And, besides, it is normal to imitate one's parents.

However, parents must make her understand that the relationship between father and daughter should not go any further. That is, make her understand incest. Only then will it be possible determine parental roles.

If everything is planned and developed in the right way, the girl accepts her “loss”. She ends up recognizing that the mother is her father's favorite, in terms of love/sexual relationship refers. From there the girl will look for another love. However, if the girl does not give in to the situation, a pathological abnormality can occur. The girl would need a therapeutic treatment to overcome their attraction.

As mentioned above, the Oedipus complex is a term used by Freud. He used it in his Theory of the Stages of Psychosexual Development to explain a child's feeling of desire for his mother and hatred toward his father.

This feeling of hate It occurs because the child feels that his father is his enemy. He competes with him to win the mother's affection. He expresses his feelings of frustration and jealousy through anger, tantrums or disobedience.

Freud established the Psychosexual theory because in the time in which he lived there was a strong repression of sexual desiresThe psychoanalyst understood that there was a kind of relationship between neurosis and sexual repression. From this he concluded that it was possible to understand the nature and variety of the illness once he knew the patient's sexual history.

Because of this, he considered that Children are born with a sexual desire that they have to satisfy. There are a series of phases in which the child seeks pleasure through different objects. This is the moment in which the Oedipus complex develops.

This process takes place during the childhoodSpecifically between 3 and 4 years old, since it is the time when children constantly seek the attention from his mother. Thus displacing his father.

This situation is usually resolve naturally. According to Freud's theory, it is necessary to respect the child at this stage of evolutionary development, since it is something natural.

However, as with the Electra complex, if the child does not overcome it there would be consequences. He could stagnate in this phase of psychosexual development and have problems in his adult life.

The theory of psychoanalysis identifies consequences in adult men who do not overcome the syndrome. They are usually behavioral and psychological. Such as emotional problems either sexualTherefore, it is essential to treat this complex when it is believed that it cannot be overcome and the fixation towards the mother is constant.

To put an end to this situation, it is advisable to avoid mockery and criticism of the child during childhood. Dedicate time to it so that he does not feel displaced and create moments with the father so that he feels complicity with him. In addition to explain to him in the best way how the romantic relationshipsIn this way, the child will learn to respect his parents' private space.

In the event that the child did not pass the stage and becomes an adult, he may have problems. It will manifest difficulties to lead a full and satisfying life.

And it is most likely that it will also present difficulties for mature psychologically. It will be difficult for you to develop your own personality and be self-sufficient, as well as to achieve your life goals.

Yeah. Both complexes They have a solution and can be treated regardless of age. If the complex is very consolidated it may be more complicated and long-lasting. But with motivation and the help of a professional good results will be achieved.

First of all, the person suffering from the complex or the parents of this person must recognize the problem. When they are aware of this problem and how it affects their lives, it will be easier to find a solution.

The professional of the mental health will help the adult to get rid of his role as a child. It will provide him with tools so you can start taking your own decisions without caring about his mother's opinion. That is, he will eliminate the emotional dependence towards the maternal figure.

If you think that someone around you may suffer from any of these complexes, ask psychological help. In Psychia We have a network of online psychologists that will help you stop prioritizing the mother figure and be able to enjoy a full life. Contact us if you need help.