Expressing hate, a healthy reaction?

In this marathon of gloom, peaks of hatred and anger, public or private, swell and burst within us, more and more marked; caused for example by antivax, certain government measures or, the latest episode, a group of Ostrogoths. Should these feelings felt and expressed by many Quebecers be considered unhealthy or can they act as an outlet? We discuss it with Christine Grou, president of the Order of Psychologists of Quebec.

Sylvain Sarrazin
The Press

Admit that, in recent years, the desire to shave everything with a backhoe or to serve a descent of the elbow to certain heads with slaps has multiplied. And what about the foam that accumulated at the corner of the lips of many Quebecers forced into deprivation when they watched the images of the revelers aboard a Sunwing plane? Another drop of vodka that made the rage overflow.

Should these emotions tinged with hatred, sometimes cultivated and expressed on a collective scale, worry us? Not necessarily, answers the D^D Grou, provided that certain limits are respected and that they prove to be legitimate.

“Is this reaction still legitimate, necessary and adequate? That’s another question, ”qualifies the psychologist.

In the right way

In his eyes, it is necessary first of all to accept this feeling, because “it is healthy that the emotion is expressed”. Repressed, it will manifest itself in another way and could cause other health problems. It is however necessary to watch out for the conditions and the consequences of this expression, particularly on those around him. “It must express itself as best as possible, with the right people and on the right subjects, while minimizing collateral damage. It should never cause irreversible harm or turn to someone who doesn’t deserve it,” she explains.

The steam and the negative energy must therefore be channeled and evacuated in an appropriate framework, thanks to various means: for example, the sports expenditure, very effective, but also the writing or the dialogue, enumerates the D^D Group. “Ventilation with people you trust, who won’t be judgmental, can be a good thing. Also, screaming alone in your car will certainly be more fruitful than getting out to smash someone’s nose, ”she says. A punching bag at home? ” Perfect ! »

And let off steam on social networks? Bad idea. The risk of unfiltered expression awaits the digital madman, who can cause great harm to others or to himself. “There is a risk of dehumanization, because when we are in front of a computer, we do not have the human being in front of us. We also expose ourselves to the ripple effect, so we have to be careful, ”warns the psychologist.

Preserving psychosocial health

In addition, the current context seems to favor the denigration of entire groups, targeted without nuance. This month, the influencers took for their rank, but other categories are concerned; Christine Grou takes the example of unvaccinated people, particularly targeted by public hatred. Here too, safeguards are necessary to avoid degrading psychosocial health.

“We attack a lot of unvaccinated people, putting them all in the same basket,” says the one who encourages vaccination. “If we can’t take so much more, do we absolutely have to become hostile with a group of people who are not all antivax, but who, for all sorts of reasons, are not vaccinated? When we are under the influence of emotion, we are not able to take this step back, which is worrying. This is important for psychosocial health and the social climate, because if we allow this hostility to express itself freely, it creates division, radicalization and intolerance. While indulgence, benevolence and empathy are protective factors for mental health,” says Christine Grou.