Aggression as a symptom. Aggression-related illnesses

Aggression, aggressive behavior, repressed and displaced aggression, latent and explicit, physical and psychological, particularly verbal aggression - all of these concepts are quite complex and have been studied by many sciences. Most of the sources which give us a definition of aggression in the medical field emphasize a purposeful desire to inflict some kind of damage, harm, trauma, or mental discomfort on another person, and discuss a whole range of different motivations for aggressive behavior. However, not always a person becomes the object of aggression: it may be an innocent plate, a pet or, say, a special doll for beating in the office for psychological relief. Aggression, finally, can be directed at oneself, taking a variety of forms - from self-cutting or verbal self-deprecation to completed suicide. Outbreaks of aggressive behavior are observed in the clinic of many mental disorders and conditions (for example, sociopaths' aggression is widely known), although the prevalent perception of mentally ill people as a whole as dangerous and aggressive (a stereotype of public consciousness repeatedly examined on extensive statistical material) is absolutely incorrect.

The problem of aggression is dual and paradoxical, as are many other problems stemming from the unique phylogeny of the human species. On the one hand, there is no need to dwell in detail on the large and small, individual and social, - up to the global, - tragedies and catastrophes that are based on uncontrolled, unbridled or propaganda-induced aggression. On the other hand, a certain level of aggression and the instinct of aggressive behavior are inherent in nature itself as one of the most important mechanisms of evolution (it is no accident that the sexual behavior of many animals resembles or exactly imitates aggression). In all probability, one of the fundamental tasks of man and humanity, if we believe in further evolution and civilization, will be the search for universal, truly human and more effective (than the present pedagogy, sports, various contests, etc.) ways to channel the colossal destructive energy of aggression into the energy of creation, creativity, overcoming, achievement.