[wotchermuggle]

What is "affective vulnerability"? My T used it in reference to me and I don't know what it means?

[wotchermuggle]

I guess no one else knows what it means either.

[archipelago]

My therapist describes me (and others) in a similar way though I'm not sure about the exact term. It pretty much means what it seems to mean. It's as if there are soft spots or less thick skin, often due to wounding or trauma, so people are more sensitive to outside influences over their own affective states. "Vulnerable" comes from the Latin word that literally means "wound" so it suggests the sensitive to usually negative aspects of emotions that are stirred up.

I wouldn't worry about it as a condition or anything. It describes something about the way things work, that can either be temporary or more of a personality trait. Both of those can be changed, but it's not necessary to change it either. Having an understanding of how you're vulnerable, to what kinds of things and in what ways, can help you build up things that deal with that without necessarily changing it.

[boredporcupine]

I think it just means emotionally sensitive?

[Brightheart]

Perhaps he meant it as effective vulnerability?

I have always viewed vulnerability as something beautiful too. It is our tender and soft spots, places where we can be hurt, yes, but also places where we can feel and connect with our deepest feelings of love and joy. It's a place where we're all connected as human beings. Embrace it and you are embracing life. My personal feelings about it...

Take care.

[littleplum]

Don't know if this is helpful, but take a look:

. “Affect” as a noun means an emotional state as contrasted to a cognition. “Affect” is a dimension of behavior rather than a separate segment of it. “Affect” is thus experienced at the same time that perception, performance and thought are going on.

[unlived]

To me that means your mood is vulnerable - like its easily changed by people / things / the environment? Pretty sure Im not making much sense here though

No, "affective vulnerability" is a term, it's not "effective" (well, maybe that's what wotcher's T meant, what do I know )

There are different kinds of vulnerability. Biological vulnerability, such as allergies for instance, or if a person is prone to certain physical illnesses. Cognitive vulnerability, which is to do with patterns of thinking or faulty beliefs that make us more vulnerable to mental illnesses; I believe pathological paranoia could be a kind of cognitive vulnerability, for instance.

I think "affective vulnerability" basically means "emotional vulnerability", that is to say, having to do with feelings (or affects, which are not quite the same thing - littleplum's definition is spot on) being maladaptive. It's generally considered to be a good thing to be able to be vulnerable in the right context, but that doesn't mean that all vulnerability is always positive, and sometimes it can hinder our mental wellbeing very much.

An example of the above: I react with the affect shame in many situations where it's not really appropriate. That makes me vulnerable to, for instance, receiving certain kinds of praise. And that's not a positive form of vulnerability.

[Perna]

To talk in circles I think affective vulnerability means you are vulnerable to negative affectivity. Mastodon explains it well.

Couple of studies: http://spu.edu/depts/spfc/clinicalps...ulisinCOTR.pdf and Negative affectivity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Brightheart]

I have a different viewpoint and connotation of the word 'vulnerable', but that is okay too. I think of vulnerability as a state of being where human beings are susceptible to the human condition and may experience emotions. I would not think of the state itself with any kind of negative judgment, but rather with acceptance of our true nature. It is in the acceptance of this state that I see beauty and connection with others…a gift of our humanity.

I wasn’t thinking so much in specific terminology, though perhaps the T was in this case, I do not know. I haven’t heard this term before, but that is not a huge surprise either.

I also tend to view life with an idealistic and feeling eye and not so much clinical. Diversity is a beautiful thing.

Maybe ask your T to elaborate on what he/she meant?

Take care.

I cross-posted there, but I think your post separates it nicely, Perna. It isn't the vulnerability in and of itself that is negative, though perhaps the negative affectivity may be..

[Mapleton]

Affect can mean a number of things relating to internal feelings; mood, demeanor, "caring". If you say someone has limited affect, that means they don't display much emotion, and perhaps don't feel a lot about external events.

I've not heard of affective vulnerability specifically before, but the most obvious meaning, as has been already offered here by a few people, is that it means

"an unusual sensitivity to other's emotional states or to events that could make you emotional"

(although IMO, that basically describes being human)

[wotchermuggle]

Thank you so much for all of your thoughts. I can ask my therapist to explain next time I have an appointment. It was something that was mentioned in an email, hence why I asked you guys.

I would be interested in hearing your T's explanation, wotch. (May I call you wotch?)

[wotchermuggle]

Originally Posted by Mastodon

I would be interested in hearing your T's explanation, wotch. (May I call you wotch?)

Sure. You guys were right. He said (via email so not very descriptive) that by saying affective vulnerability, he was including my affective disorder (bipolar 2). I think he means vulnerability in terms of it running in my family or that I've been exposed to it via my family.

[WikidPissah]

Mastodon explained it well. I have been told that as well.

[granite1]

i have never heard that term. i swear they have a language all there own that they like to use just to confuse things at times .so far my T is good about not doing that