Cathexis
In psychoanalysis, Cathexis (or emotional investment) is defined as the process of allocation of mental or emotional energy to a person, object, or idea.
To be cathected (kuh-THEKT or ka-THEKT) means to invest emotional or psychic energy into a person, object, or idea. Derived from the psychoanalytic term cathexis , it describes the process of giving something emotional significance or mental concentration.
Examples of cathexis:
Investing in a hobby: When you spend a lot of time, energy, and emotional investment into a hobby like painting, your thoughts and feelings about painting are said to be cathected.
Emotional attachment to a person: The deep emotional connection and feelings you have for a loved one represent a strong cathexis.
Obsession with an idea: Focusing your mental energy intensely on a specific idea, whether positive or negative, is a form of cathexis.
Key aspects:
Psychoanalytic Origin: The term was popularized by Sigmund Freud and is central to psychoanalytic theory, referring to the allocation of psychic energy to various objects.
Emotional Investment: It’s about investing significant feeling or passion into something, making it important to you.
“Cathected” vs. “Cathect”: “Cathected” is the past participle of the verb “cathect”. The noun form is cathexis.