Compartmentalization is an unconscious psychological defense mechanism used to avoid cognitive dissonance, or the mental discomfort and anxiety caused by a person having conflicting values, cognitions, emotions, beliefs, etc. within themselves. Compartmentalization allows these conflicting ideas to co-exist by inhibiting direct or explicit acknowledgement and interaction between separate compartmentalized self states.

Does anyone else experience this? What exactly does it mean?

[critterlady]

My previous T told me that I was really good at compartmentalizing my CSA for decades. I remembered it, but more or less ignored it and told myself that I'd dealt with it and it didn't affect me.

It allowed me to focus on other things in my life and not constantly be ruminating on the abuse and its aftermath. It worked for a long time, at least to a point. It cost me a lot, in unacknowledged effects, but overall my life wasn't that bad.

It fell apart when I got seriously triggered for the first time over the summer. I spiraled into depression and couldn't concentrate on anything. The thoughts would not stay neatly tucked into their little compartment.

Now, I'm in the process of integrating the experience. Dealing with it directly, in the hopes that, by doing that, it can eventually stop being the focus of my thoughts.

Originally Posted by critterlady

My previous T told me that I was really good at compartmentalizing my CSA for decades. I remembered it, but more or less ignored it and told myself that I'd dealt with it and it didn't affect me.

It allowed me to focus on other things in my life and not constantly be ruminating on the abuse and its aftermath. It worked for a long time, at least to a point. It cost me a lot, in unacknowledged effects, but overall my life wasn't that bad.

It fell apart when I got seriously triggered for the first time over the summer. I spiraled into depression and couldn't concentrate on anything. The thoughts would not stay neatly tucked into their little compartment.

Now, I'm in the process of integrating the experience. Dealing with it directly, in the hopes that, by doing that, it can eventually stop being the focus of my thoughts.

I think that is what happened to me, but i distinctly feel like 2 people are fighting over one body sometimes....regarding thoughts and actions

[Fresia]

Compartmentalizing was the only coping mechanism I had for a long time. Not realizing I was doing it, a T once likened it to having a shelving unit with boxes in my mind. When something happens, I would put it in a box and shelve it for later. The problem is is that we don't always take the boxes back down to deal with them and sometimes it does not happen until triggered. Then the box is too heavy or not everything fits in the box, and is too burdensome to work with, becoming overwhelming.

However, compartmentalization can be a natural response to trauma and events as a protective mechanism, with advantages and disadvantages. It can also be helpful to develop other coping strategies as well so things do not get "boxed" or "compartmentalized" away and instead dealt with in the moment, so not so overwhelming later. Facing things in the moment and intergrating them, as mentioned above by Critterlady, has changed the process as there are fewer things that trigger me now because the emotions and events were not blocked and stored for later.

I don't know if this makes any sense but the visual person that I am, this was helpful for me to understand compartmentalization.

[sconnie892]

Originally Posted by Fresia

Compartmentalizing was the only coping mechanism I had for a long time. Not realizing I was doing it, a T once likened it to having a shelving unit with boxes in my mind. When something happens, I would put it in a box and shelve it for later. The problem is is that we don't always take the boxes back down to deal with them and sometimes it does not happen until triggered. Then the box is too heavy or not everything fits in the box, and is too burdensome to work with, becoming overwhelming.

LolaCabanna - Thank you, thank you, thank you for starting this thread!

After I read a few of the posts I realize that I do this all the time as a coping mechanism. It's never come up in t, but now I realize I've been doing this for years to get through stressful situations. This really makes sense to me. It helps me understand why therapy is so difficult right now. There are somethings I've "put up on a shelf" for 20 years and never taken a peek back in the box until now.

The box visual was very helpful. I am very visual when thinking about my emotions, depression, etc.