Abnegation: meaning and examples in psychology

George Alvarez 27-05-2023
George Alvarez

You know what it is abnegation? For, know that this is a very important quality for people who live in society and share life purposes. While this may be an innate trait of many individuals, it can also be developed throughout life.

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Knowing this, in this article we will talk about the subject to facilitate the understanding, as well as clarify the main concepts in relation to the meaning of self-denial. In this way, understand once and for all what is self-denial, what is a selfless person and its meaning to psychology. So, read on to check it out!

What is self-denial?

In this sense, the meaning of self-denial is related to altruism and the detachment from status and material conditions. In other words, no action is performed with an immediate reward or future gain in mind, because everything is done with the well-being and happiness of the other person in the present moment in mind.

Therefore, the self-denying person is not concerned with the social standards that he or she should follow. Therefore, all personal achievements do not bring a sense of accomplishment.

In this way, the detachment from all these rules imposed by society is what makes her think about the happiness of the people she loves. For, the well-being of all the others around her is also her priority, even if they are just strangers.

But it is crucial to clarify that the selfless person does not give up his own interests for lack of goals In fact, for her the plans of the people around her are more important, even if all this costs her her own happiness.

Selflessness and the characteristics of a selfless person

In this way, a selfless person doesn't think too much about himself, because he is used to doing things for the benefit of others. Therefore, it is not uncommon for self-denial to be accompanied by personal loss, while promoting the happiness of another person.

For this reason, in today's society, human beings have cultivated individualistic habits, and altruism has been forgotten. So, abnegating to your own wills is seen as a foolish attitude. As a result, there are greater chances for the destruction of interpersonal relationships.

Furthermore, over the centuries, the environment and the future of humanity are at risk. P ois, many people are thinking only of individual growth. That is, without thinking about the health of society as a whole. Therefore, the role of the selfless person is precisely to bring balance and harmony for the world to prosper.

But if self-denial can, in fact, bring real losses to the individual, why is it a quality to be developed? To answer that, it is necessary to rescue the meaning of this virtue in psychology. So, check it out below!

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Meaning of abnegation for Psychology

In this way, for Psychology, the meaning of self-denial is brought into this more constructive context of virtue. Thus, people with this characteristic are not seen as foolish, but as wise and with a developed spirit.

After all, they have already understood that material achievements are not fundamental to quality of life. That said, your goal is to contribute to making sure your neighbor has a positive, balanced, good enough life.

So for this the negative feelings, such as vanity, ego and pride are some of the peculiarities to be eliminated. Meanwhile, the affirmative skills are developed in a deeper way.

4 aspects of selflessness for Psychology

Despite being reduced to a single word, selflessness is a set of traits and aspects that build an individual's personality. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, this characteristic can be born with the person or be perfected with maturity.

However, for this, the person needs to be committed to building a better world, and also to do his or her best for the collective welfare. So, to work on this virtue, we have listed four aspects of self-denial. Check them out!

1. generosity

Generosity is the first trait of the person who is not attached to material possessions. For, she is always willing to share what she has with others around her, whether they need it or not.

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Even if his possessions are not enough, the selfless person has no problem in sharing the little he has, because the purpose of generosity is to add something positive to the lives of others.

2. trust

In this sense, trust is the ability to believe in the other's word and good character. Therefore, it is also an indispensable aspect for the selfless person. In this way, she does not hesitate to put herself in risky situations trusting that everything will work out in the end.

However, when things don't go as expected, trust does not stop there, since there is an understanding that some force majeure reason acted for the unfolding of a certain situation. In other words, that is enough for this person.

3. tolerance

Complementing the trust aspect, tolerance is another very important characteristic of selflessness. For, it allows a healthy and harmonious coexistence with family members and colleagues And even when things go wrong.

So tolerance has to do with patience and acceptance of other people's imperfections. Starting from the idea that we are all human and are exposed to making mistakes, when they happen they are not reasons for disagreements or stress.

4. forgiveness

The act of forgiving is quite difficult for self-centered people. In contrast, those who are willing to let go of their vanities forgive much more easily, and are free of any sense of guilt.

As a result, there is a sense of lightness and liberation. However, forgiveness does not have this intention. This is because the individual forgives so that the other feels liberated from past negative actions and reactions in his or her life.

Final considerations on self-denial

With this reading, you can understand the importance of self-denial for the human being. Furthermore, you will get to know some of the main aspects that make this characteristic a positive symbol for Psychology. Furthermore, we show how important self-denial is for living in society.

Therefore, people with this virtue transform the people around them, and are concerned about the well-being of everyone. This is the only way we can transform our neighborhood, our city and our country, and change the reality of the world. But it all depends on each one of us!

So, to learn even more about self-denial You will also learn about the role of different personality traits and about human behavior, so don't miss this opportunity and register now!

George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.