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ODEabreaction

abreaction

Flag: gbEnglishOxford Dictionary of English

abreaction /ˌabriˈakʃn /
noun [mass noun] Psychoanalysis the expression and consequent release of a previously repressed emotion, achieved through reliving the experience that caused it (typically through hypnosis or suggestion):
he was using dream abreaction to treat a schizoid patient
[count noun] a series of interviews and abreactions.
– DERIVATIVES
abreactive adjective
– ORIGIN early 20th century: from ab- away from + reaction, translating German Abreagierung.