Mourning And Separation Individualization Processes Of Anatolian People In Historical Processes

Moderator: Ayse Erenler

The mourning processes experienced after the loss is a universal and normal situation for humanity. It can include various emotions such as anger, unhappiness, guilt, regret, and longing. Individual may experience daily emotional ups and downs in their lives due to mourning. Although the mourning processes specified in terms of DSM and ICD are similar in terms of certain criteria, it may differ on the basis of time and additional symptoms.

This process, which Sigmund Freud defines as ‘Pathological Grief’, refers to the internalized object relations of the person.

According to Melanie Klein, the loss process; especially those who have not developed early relationship with this process, is explained by the inability to cope with and to reconstruct ones inner world.

According to Margaret Mahler’s theory; biological birth time of babies and psychological births do not match with each other (Vahip I., 1993). Mahler separation individuation designed the process as two developments that comple- ment each other. Separation occurs when the child leaves the symbiotic phase, in which the child was united with the mother; however, individualization is consistent with the success that there are signs of acceptance of the individual child’s character (Akdağ E., 2016).

In this case, we can discuss the cultural problem of immigration that encompasses mourning and separative individ- ualization processes.

Immigration is a geographical displacement movement in human communities due to religious, economic, political, social, and other reasons from one residential unit to another to spend all or part of their lives.

The construction of the highway in Turkey has been an important element that brings the village to the city. Especially the villages learning about city life and the spread of the radio in Anatolia increased the interest in the city (Sen A., 1975).

Keywords: Migration, Mourning, Segregation, Individualization, Loss, Culture, City, Countryside, Margaret

Separation and Individualization in Anatolian Culture in a Cultural Context

Ayse Erenler / Clinical Psychologist Psychotherapy Institute, Istanbul, Turkey ayse.erenlerr@hotmail.com

Anatolia has been a geography where migrations, wars took place and civilizations, nations and empires ruled for a long time. It is thought that historical events affect social dynamics, parameters and therefore human psychology.

In this study, we aim to present how the psychological effects of the emotions transmitted between generations of people living in the Anatolian geography are observed in the session room today.

We will examine the culture of mourning, which has been transferred from generation to generation and evolved over time, and its effect on the separation and individualization processes of the individuals of the young republic established in Anatolia in the last century, the children who were tired and lost due to war, and the children raised by bereaved mothers. It seems possible to evaluate the young republic, which was established as a nation-state, as a system that supports separation and individualization, unlike the empires that ruled in Anatolia for centuries.

In this study, considering the historical processes experienced in Anatolia in the last century, Mahler’s theory in the life of the individual and in the session room; It is aimed to take a closer look at separation and individualization pro- cesses and to convey psychopathological changes.

It is aimed to evaluate the difficulties experienced in the processes of seperation- individualization and the self-sys- tems experienced in the process, the symptoms revealed by the client and to address them in this perspective.

Keywords: separation individuation, mourning, social trauma, emotions, Mahler

The Mourning and Separative Individualization Processes of the Anatolian People with Migration

Yasemin Kapukaya / Social Worker Psychotherapy Institute, Istanbul, Turkey kapukayayasemin@gmail.com

The construction of the highway in Turkey has been an important element that brings the village to the city. Espe- cially the villages learning about city life and the spread of the radio in Anatolia increased the interest in the city. (Sen A., 1975).

In this study, the case presentation is explained over the family C and Mr. H, Mr. A, Mr. Y, who immigrated from ru- ral to urban in Turkey. The C family migrated from the village to the city in 1973. Before that, Mr. H had first visited Ankara from his village of Erzurum in 1948. Due to an increase in members of the family because of marriages, the responsibility of the parents living with them at home, the climatic conditions of the winter season, and the limited financial sources of income Mr. H was forced to go to the big city and earn money as a seasonal worker. He earned money and return to the village for 25 years, then in 1973, he migrated from the village to the city with his family. Their place of residence was occupied by residents who had also migrated from the same city. Thus this region was called the Erzurum neighborhood. With the cultural change brought about by immigration, Mr. H. developed various addictions (cigarettes, card games, okey). Which leads to heart palpitations, shortness of breath, etc., and symptoms of panic attacks.

As in the case here, with the processes of separation and individualization, there are many medical problems can be seen.

Keywords: Migration, Mourning, Segregation, Individualization, Loss, Culture, City, Countryside

The Grief Processes of the Anatolian People

Cansu Dogan / Psychologist
Sophia Psikoloji, Istanbul, Turkey Cansudogan1999cansu99@gmail.com

People may face many threats of loss or loss throughout their lives. Losses such as the loss of a loved one, the end of a close relationship, the loss of an organ, the loss of a job can be given as examples of this situation. Unlike these, death is the most painful loss experienced by individuals as it is an indication of an end and irreversibility. Individuals may feel helpless as a result of such a loss. Throughout their lives, people experience the normal grieving process after separation. Grief is not a disease, but it is a difficult process that affects people’s lives. The grieving process is a natural response to loss. These reactions range from reconciliation to a serious crisis reaction (Bildik T., 2013).

When we look at the theories about the grieving process, the concept of mourning in the history of modern psychol- ogy entered the literature with Freud’s work ‘Mourning and Melancholy’. According to Freud, the depressive feelings felt by the survivor are investments in the person’s well-being during the grieving process. In addition, he considered the emotional bond between the lost person and the mourner important in this process, and mourning is a process that can end. Lindemann, on the other hand, defined the determinants of a normal grieving process. He named the first reaction to loss in the grieving process as acute grief and stated that the acute grief process would end with eight sessions of clinical intervention (Genlik Ö., 2012). Bowbly, based on attachment theory, explained the grief process in four stages. These stages are disbelief and numbness, desire, dissolution, and rearrangement. According to Bowlby, these phases do not occur separately from each other, but cyclically. Another model that explains grief in stages is Kübler Ross’s model. In this model, the grieving process; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and accep- tance are explained in five stages. It is not obligatory for individuals to experience all of these phases after loss and for the phases to occur sequentially (Çolak V. G., and Hocaoğlu Ç., 2021).

In this study, it is aimed to examine how the mourning processes were experienced in the Anatolian culture in the past, the effects of prolonged mourning on the next generations and the transmission of traumas from generation to generation in the session room.

Keywords: Mourning, Loss, Culture, Anatolia, Freud, Kübler Ross, Freud, Lindemann.