27 Feb 2025-|Noida | Amity University, Noida
Renowned Psychoanalyst, Dr. Salman Akhtar, delivers a Guest Lecture on “Self-loathing” at Amity
Amity Institute of Behavioural Health & Allied Sciences, Amity University Uttar Pradesh Noida campus, organized a Guest Lecture by Dr. Salman Akhtar – Psychoanalyst; Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior at Jefferson Medical College and Jefferson University Hospital, on the topic, "Self-loathing: Origins, Dynamics, and Treatment."
Deliberating upon the topic, Dr. Salman Akhtar, said, “Self-loathing refers to a strong feeling of dislike, hatred, or contempt towards oneself. It involves having a negative self-image, being overly critical of oneself, and often feeling worthless or unlovable. It is a complex matter deeply anchored in the character of a person. Self-loathing individuals often engage in harsh self-criticism, using negative and demeaning language to describe themselves. They are not enthusiastic about life and do not take care of themselves.”
Explaining the various sources of self-loathing, Dr. Akhtar said, “There are four sources of self-loathing, “Primal self-loathing”, “Hate-related self-loathing”, “Guilt-based self-loathing” and “Remorse-based self-loathing”. “Primal self-loathing” begins by being hated by one’s own mother. When a mother hates her child, due to any reason, it affects the child’s psychology and he starts hating himself. When this happens, a child’s mind is damaged forever and may think of committing suicide, however, most self-loathing people do not commit suicide. “Hate-related self-loathing” arises when a person belongs to a marginalized community such as LGBT or lower caste, etc, which bring an inferiority complex in him. “Guilt-based self-loathing” arises from a past trauma, and it refers to a pattern of negative self-talk, self-criticism, and self-blame arising from feelings of guilt due to unrealistic expectations, perfectionism, cultural or societal pressures. “Remorse-based self-loathing” refers to self-loathing caused by hurting someone for whom we have deep concern and affection. When a person hurts someone who is very close to them, they start reflecting on their words and actions and starts disliking themselves for hurting the other person, this is called “remorse-based self-loathing.”
Speaking about the treatment of self-loathing patients, he further added, “The treatment involves empathising and validating that wrong things have happened with the person. Acknowledging the patient's feelings and validating their emotions to show understanding is extremely crucial. Also, bridging the gap between his beliefs about himself and his positive traits, unmasking the unconscious defences against goodness, and envisioning the improved version of the patient, help the person to recover and heal from self-loathing.”
When asked a question about how to deal with a patient who does not share his trauma with his family members, Dr. Akhtar responded that “One must empathize with the patient and write a letter which will bring out all his trauma even if he does not send the letter to his family member. This will help in understanding the psychology of the patient and treating him accordingly.”
Prof. (Dr.) Kalpana Srivastava, Director, Amity Institute of Behaviour (Health) and Allied Sciences (AIBHAS), AUUP, said, “Self-loathing is a common psychological problem, however, it is less talked about and people are not aware about the same. The Guest Lecture will be helpful in spreading awareness about self-loathing and we are honoured to have Dr. Salman Akhtar today with us as he is one of the most renowned psychoanalysts. We are certain that the Guest Lecture will be highly enriching and beneficial for students.”
Also present on the occasion were Dr. S. K. Srivastava, Mentor AIBHAS, Dr. Jayanti Pujari, Director, Amity Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences, sstudents of Psychology, researchers and faculty in large numbers.