A reader named Elizabeth, writing in the comments thread of my post "Suffering," suggested that I take a look at the theoretical work of Polish psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski. I found a Dabrowski site that gives an overview of his work, and I do think it dovetails neatly with the point I was making in my post.
Dabrowski developed the "theory of positive disintegration," which essentially says that neurotic conflicts and personal crises are, or can be, the route to a fuller and more authentic understanding of oneself.
An introductory essay by W. Tillier explains:
The theory describes a process of personality development – the creation of a unique, individual personality.
Most people become socialized in their early family and school experiences. They largely accept the values and mores of society with little question and have no internal conflict in abiding by the basic tenets of society. In some cases, a person begins to notice and to imagine 'higher possibilities' in life. These disparities are driven by overexcitability — an intense reaction to, and experience of the day-to-day stimuli of life. Eventually, one's perception of reality becomes differentiated into a hierarchy and all aspects of both external and internal life come to be evaluated on a vertical continuum of 'lower versus higher.' This experience often creates a series of deep and painful conflicts between lower, 'habitual' perceptions and reactions based on one's heredity and environment (socialization) and higher, volitional 'possibilities.' In the developing individual, these conflicts may lead to disintegrations and psychoneuroses, for Dabrowski, hallmarks of advanced growth. Eventually, through the processes of advanced development and positive disintegration, one is able to develop control over one's reactions and actions. Eventually, development culminates in the inhibition and extinction of lower levels of reality and behavior and their transcendence via the creation of a higher, autonomous and stable ideal self. The rote acceptance of social values yields to a critically examined and chosen hierarchy of values and aims that becomes a unique expression of the self — becoming one's personality ideal.
Viewed this way, neurosis, conflict, and crisis are not so much problems to be solved as opportunities to be embraced. Some quotes from Dabrowski in another presentation (PDF) on the same site make this clear:
Every authentic creative process consists of ‘loosening’, ‘splitting’ or ‘smashing’ the former reality. Every mental conflict is associated with disruption and pain; every step forward in the direction of authentic existence is combined with shocks, sorrows, suffering and distress….
The chances of developmental crises and their positive or negative outcomes depend on the character of the developmental potential, on the character of social influence, and on the activity (if present) of the third factor. . . . One also has to keep in mind that a developmental solution to a crisis means not a reintegration but an integration at a higher level of functioning….
Crises are periods of increased insight into oneself, creativity, and personality development….
Experiences of shock, stress and trauma, may accelerate development in individuals with innate potential for positive development.
Dabrowski organized this process of positive disintegration into five stages or levels. Level I is a stage of robotic conformity to social norms. In Level II, questions and doubts arise, destabilizing the personality. Level III, "spontaneous multilevel disintegration," is where things get interesting.
Tillier tells us,
Dabrowski considered this level a period of "positive maladjustment." It is the point at which a person can appear neurotic and maladjusted, but is on the brink of reaching a higher level of development. Therapists may try to help the person adjust to the norms of society rather than help him or her reach the next level. Not everyone makes it to the next level. For some it can be a life-long struggle.
[Those who do reach Level IV] have learned to adjust to personal ideals, to live according to those ideals. They have strong and unshakable values. They are able to accept themselves and others, have a strong sense of responsibility, and are committed to serving others. They exhibit strong empathy, compassion, and self-awareness. To reach this state, however, one has to have gone through the struggle of level three. His previous self must disintegrate to make way for the more ideal self.
Level V is the point at which "inner conflicts have all been resolved. Very few people reach this level, which is characterized by a life of service to humanity and living according to the highest and most universal principles of regard for humanity."
Tillier warns:
Progressing through the five levels is not easy and in fact can be emotionally painful. Many people who travel the path from one level to the next do not always do so purposely. Instead, they find themselves thrust into the path by extenuating circumstances, which include the death of a loved one, a near-death experience, or even a mystical experience. They may also subconsciously sense that they are ready for the next level.
The most difficult transition between levels is the one between level three and level four, and many people struggling to get past level three would benefit from counseling, provided the one providing it has some understanding of the theory and of giftedness. Without that understanding, a counselor may spend time trying to get the individual to adjust to life as it is rather than helping them move to the next level.
Once an individual begins to move into level four, the choice to move forward is a conscious one. The person is no longer afraid of the disintegration of the self and is able to accept the pain because he or she understands that it is necessary in order to progress to the higher levels of development.
Emphasizing the point that progress can be slow, Dabrowski is quoted (in the PDF presentation) as telling a young client that people on this path
must have much more time for a deep, creative development and that is why you will be growing for a long time. This is a very common phenomenon among creative people. Simply, they have such a great developmental potential, ‘they have the stuff to develop’ and that is why it takes them longer to give it full expression.
Dabrowski's theory is reportedly gaining new interest in the West, after having been largely overlooked during his lifetime. It is certainly interesting, and I'm inclined to agree with the points I've quoted here, at least based on my limited exposure to them. But I might part company with Dabrowski slightly in one respect.
As best I can tell, Dabrowski's model of human development basically ends with what we might call "authentic consciousness." But I think there are further stages of growth, as outlined in Jenny Wade's fine book Changes of Mind. (A good review of the book is here.)
Wade shows that, beyond authentic consciousness, there is transcendent consciousness and, finally, unity consciousness. I'm not sure Dabrowski's theory incorporates these admittedly rare stages of development, each of which would probably require a whole new process of "positive disintegration" to attain.
In other words, I'm not sure Dabrowski's theory carries us as far along the path of human development as it possible to go. But it does seem to carry us further than more conventional psychological theories.