Thinking Symbolic

Thinking Symbolically: Decoding Complex Inner Experiences

In our complex and diverse world, each person has a unique inner world, full of their own experiences, images and concepts. These internal states and representations, which are shaped by our experiences and interactions with the environment, can be complex and intriguing. However, for some people, these inner experiences become particularly confusing and incomprehensible to others, and in such cases we can talk about symbolic thinking.

Symbolic thinking (SM) is a specific type of thinking in which the use of symbols, images and concepts, becomes the main way of expressing and organizing internal experiences. For those who have symbolic thinking, these symbols are complex sets of interconnected images and concepts that cannot always be accurately conveyed or understood by other people.

The peculiarity of symbolic thinking is that it can be especially vivid and intense. Patients suffering from mental disorders such as schizophrenia or autism may experience symbolic thinking in a particularly severe form. For them, symbols of images and concepts become a way of expressing and organizing complex and incomprehensible states of their inner world. They can create their own systems of symbols that help them describe and understand their world, but which may be difficult to perceive or incomprehensible to others.

Symbolic thinking has its advantages and limitations. On the one hand, it can be a source of creativity, inspiration and deep understanding of one's own experiences. Symbols can serve as a bridge between the inner and outer world, allowing a person to express and share their thoughts and feelings. On the other hand, symbolic thinking can create barriers to communication and understanding with other people, especially if their experiences and contexts are different from ours.

It is important to understand that symbolic thinking is not exclusive to people with mental disorders. We can all use symbols and images to express our experiences and ideas. In art, literature, and music, we see examples of symbolic thinking, where artists and creators use images and symbols to convey deep emotions and meanings.

To better understand and support people with symbolic thinking, it is necessary to exercise empathy and patience. It is important to consider that their inner world may be complex and unpredictable, and attempts to decode their symbols may require time and attention. Communication with such people requires flexibility and the ability to find common points of contact.

It is also worth noting that symbolic thinking can be an object of study and therapy. Psychologists and psychotherapists can use various methods, such as art therapy or music therapy, to help people with symbolic thinking express and process their inner experiences.

In conclusion, symbolic thinking is a special way of operating with symbols, images and concepts that reflect complex sets of internal experiences. For some people, symbolic thinking is a special way of expressing and organizing their inner world, which is often incomprehensible to others. Understanding and supporting symbolic thinking can promote deeper interaction and understanding with people whose inner world operates with complex symbols and images.



The thought process is an important part of thinking. In the process of thinking, a person perceives the world around him in the form of images, ideas and concepts. However, there are different types of thinking, and one of them is symbolic thinking. Symbolic is a type of thinking in which a person works with symbols and images that may not always be understandable to other people. This type of thinking may be characteristic of people suffering from mental illness or in crisis.

Symbolism, working with images and symbols, draws attention to the unconscious in the process of constructing forms, texts, configurations and the entire organization of consciousness. Important concept