Literally a moving away from or against, this term denotes a psychic rejection of a negative emotional event through a brief re-experiencing of the original in mutated form.
Abreaction has been a primary goal of many therapists who adhere to the early observations of Freud and Breuer about how change takes place in people.
Abreacting old negative states of thought and emotions was seen to lead to positive improvements in living.
Psychodrama uses this principle in much of its work. See psychodrama and the related term catharsis.
