Symbolism and Everyday Actions

I often see patients who want to know why they do certain activities that on the surface do not seem to make sense.  From a practical perspective, these odd behaviors seem out of character or of a compulsive nature.  "I cannot stop doing the action, even though it seems irrational and a waste of time." 

In the therapeutic process, the reasons whey we do certain things or act out in a particular fashion is not always transparent and may take awhile to figure out.  It is a wonderful part of the psychology process -- an "aha moment" -- when the person and his or her psychologist discovers the meaning of an action. 

Many people want a quick fix -- they want the negative  behavior or the painful symptom to go away quickly and effortlessly.  In some cases this makes sense.  But sometimes, it does not.  To use an analogy, does it make sense to turn off the fire alarm while there still is a fire burning or a lack of understanding as to the cause of the fire?

 I once had a patient with a unique presenting problem.  For dinner he would eat the same thing every night --  steak, string beans and creamy mashed potatoes.  He would eat the steak first, then the string beans and then finally  the creamy mashed potatoes.  He would always save the creamy mashed potatoes for last, it was his favorite.  However, each night,  by the time he finished the steak and string beans, the creamy mashed potatoes were cold.  That is right, his presenting problem was cold creamy mashed potatoes.  Now if I was a "practical type of psychotherapist", the fix would be easy -- after you finish the steak and string beans, stick the creamy mash potatoes in the microwave and warm them up.  But to follow-up with my fire analogy, it is my view that such an action would be like shutting off the fire alarm and not dealing with the real burning issue.  For this gentleman, this compulsive pattern was symbolic of a greater issue that in fact affected the very core of how he lived his life. I would call it the "you cannot win syndrome."   In his life, he felt like he works very hard, but the reward that he expects for his hard work never comes or when it does finally come,  it is cold lumpy and does not taste good.   The creamy mash potatoes was symbolic of personal freedom -- the "easy life" -- the effortless melting in your mouth  -- an experience this person never seemed to get to.

As many of the great existential thinkers have taught us, human beings  are symbolic creatures and think, act and behave with in the realm of the symbolic (Freud, Jung, Eliade, Ricouer).  Many of our activities have deep symbolic significance. While  these symbolic actions resonates with our sense of well being, their meanings tend to stay hidden. 

The most obviously place where the symbolic realm can be most seen is in the world of games.  What is the attraction of tennis?  Is tennis a working through of some deeper issue?  I often talk about tennis when I am doing marital therapy.  Isn't tennis a game about relationships  --  who is left with the ball in their court  --who is at fault? --  are we equally at fault? -- ah then we have "love."

Why do we love to watch football so much -- the  great American obsession?  What is the symbolic meaning of the game? What is the goal of  football, if not to  get the ball, which is shaped like a egg  -- the symbol of perfection -- to the goal post without it falling and cracking. Why do they pile on the player who is already down with the ball?  Why is it so important to make sure the other team does not get back up?

Why are our kids so addicted to video games?  Are the themes of these games resonating with our children's needs or desires on a symbolic level?  In 1980s, when I was working as a school psychologist, I was fascinated with adolescents' obsession with "Pac-Man."  This was before computers, and kids would spend endless hours after school  at the arcades.  In 1984, I published an article entitled "The Bite of Pac-man" where I explored the symbolic allure of the game.  Why did the theme of the  "Pac-Man"game resonate so much with adolescents?  As I discussed in the article " The themes and strategies of the game perfectly accommodate the adolescent's relation to the world.  The Pac-man creature, which the player controls and symbolically becomes, is all mouth and is referred to as "Jaws."  "Jaws" spends his time and energy running from the engulfing monsters.  There are four different types of  monsters, each with its own personality: "Shadow" always follows you; "Bashful" will run away when you turn around; "Ambition" is always willing to attack you; and "Speedy" is fast and will run over you.... If the player engulfs enough monsters before they engulf him, he becomes a winner." While the game of "Pac-Man" might be a safe place to work out  issues of  separation and individuation, it is still a game -- a feel good fantasy -- not an achievement of personal maturity and a true reflection of one's ability to survive in the world.

What are some of the symbolic things you do or participate in as you live your life?  Do you have activities or compulsions that you are addicted to and are not sure why? 
 
Symbolism and everyday actions, it is something to think about.

Dr. Klein is a clinical psychologist who practices in Westport CT.  He specializes in life transitions, relationship issues, identity,  personal growth and self understanding.  He is trained in both clinical psychology and existential philosophy.