Learn English – Word describing a person’s momentary pleasure, but overall discord

psychologysingle-word-requests

I once read an article that used a single word to describe a frame of mind in which a person experiences momentary pleasure amidst overall discord; or perhaps the word was describing the opposite: A unified, holistic mind without discord.

The word may be related to dysphoria or equanimity. Any ideas?

As an example of such a frame of mind, in the discussion of the OCD condition Trichotillomania [1] here [2] there is a phrase:

“Immediate pleasure may be experienced but in the long run the person feels frustrated and embarrassed.”

This is a good example of the sense I’m looking for in this single-word-request.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichotillomania

[2] http://www.biobehavioralinstitute.com/viewarticle.php?id=7

Best Answer

I think the words I was looking for were egosyntonic and egodystonic:

Egosyntonic is a psychological term referring to behaviors, values, feelings that are in harmony with or acceptable to the needs and goals of the ego, or consistent with one's ideal self-image.

Egodystonic (or ego alien) is the opposite of egosyntonic and refers to thoughts and behaviors (e.g., dreams, impulses, compulsions, desires, etc.) that are in conflict, or dissonant, with the needs and goals of the ego, or, further, in conflict with a person's ideal self-image.

A person with Trichotillomania may feel pleasure from hair pulling, even though it is egodystonic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egosyntonic_and_egodystonic

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