What is this condition

I know from studying layman psychology and psychiatry that there is a technical name for this condition, that I will remember when I see it, but it just will not come to me now.

It is to do with a person not dealing with guilt. When feeling guilty about something they instead attack other people for the same thing, even when it is not warranted.

A random example might be a guy sleeping with his best friends girlfriend. Rather than feeling guilty for this, he seems some other guy talking to her and he goes off at one, accusing him of everything from hitting on her to sleeping with her.

Or another example might be the kind of person who goes through other peoples phones and messages etc. Then when one small thing seeems out of place in his house he accuses people of going through his stuff, for no reason.

Rather random examples but you get the idea. I know there is a technical term for this condition, I just can not for the life of me recall it. The main part of it however is that the patient is unable to face up to their own guilt and so projects and attacks it in others, even the innocent.

hotspur

The term I'm thinking of is not a condition but a defence mechanism in psychoanalysis, it is called projection.

orla6240

Yeah hotspur is right ...projection....I was just reading about it today................'Projecting thoughts or emotions onto others allows the person to consider them and how dysfunctional they are, but without feeling the attendant discomfort of knowing that these thoughts and emotions are their own. We can thus criticize the other person, distancing ourselves from our own dysfunction.'

http://changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/coping/projection.htm

Thanks guys. You are right this is part of it. Projection is actually what the person does. The condition that leads them to do it had a name too though, I just cant think what it is. Im sure it was an official sounding latin kinda name.

eth0_

I can't imagine that could be called a condition, certainly can't think of anything that fits your description. Some people are just very defensive and project onto others all the time. It doesn't mean they have a personality disorder.

RossFixxxed

eth0_ wrote: »

I can't imagine that could be called a condition, certainly can't think of anything that fits your description. Some people are just very defensive and project onto others all the time. It doesn't mean they have a personality disorder.

Well said. "Some people are just jerks, stop that mister Simpson"

It's a disorder when it begins to have negative impacts and you can't stop it. We all go through different phases, and sometimes you can only improve yourself. If it's serious get help!

Thanks again all,

That was indeed the point. If you want someone to get help, as you suggest, its better to know the terms, do the research and have all the grounding before sitting and saying it to them. So I am getting the knowledge in now before I say anything.