What Is an Incel?
Incel is a term that is short for involuntary celibacy and is used to describe someone who feels as though they are unable to start or maintain any type of meaningful intimate relationship—generally a romantic relationship with a partner of the opposite sex. Incels often feel as though they have few social options, with words like desperate and lonely being associated with them.
Incels often face discrimination both online and in real life, and they find it difficult to overcome deep-seated feelings of hopelessness, loneliness and anxiety. Many are also reported to experience mental health issues, like depression and suicidal tendencies.
What Causes an Incel to Feel This Way?
There is no one definitive reason why someone would become an incel, but there have been some common trends that have been observed.
Firstly, incels often have a negative view of themselves and their worth. Growing up in an environment that impacted their self-esteem, incels can often struggle to trust others and to believe that they can be loved and accepted, no matter what their background.
Secondly, incels also often have difficulty in forming successful relationships and often have little to no experience in dating and socializing, leading to a cycle of feeling rejected and alienated.
Finally, low self-confidence, a poor self-image and an inability to shuffle emotional baggage often all contribute to the growing feeling of hopelessness and the lack of faith in their prospects of ever forming a healthy and meaningful relationship.
What Psychological Help Can Be Given to Those Who Classify Themselves as an Incel?
Fortunately, there are plenty of psychological methods that can help those who identify as an incel to overcome their insecurities and learn how to create meaningful and long-lasting relationships.
One helpful form of therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is designed to help people reframe their negative thinking and behaviour, so that their thought processes become more adaptive, supportive and healthy. Through CBT, an incel can better confront their fears and anxieties, learn coping strategies, and can even learn how to effectively communicate with potential partners.
Couples therapy is another critical form of therapy for incels. It offers an opportunity for them to learn how to create relationships that are based on determination, love, and trust. Couples therapy can also give support for incels who already have partners, and work through the challenges that arise from being an incel.
Incels often feel isolated, but there is help available. Support groups can be a safe space for incels to express themselves and to receive support from their peers. Support groups are often run on an online platform, so it is important to find the right one for your needs.
Finally, medication can be prescribed to incels to help manage any underlying mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. These types of mental health issues can undermine relationships and make it extremely difficult for incels to reach out for help.
Conclusion
For those who identify as an incel, psychological therapy can be extremely beneficial and helpful in addressing their feelings and fears related to forming meaningful relationships. With the right methods, support, and understanding, incels can work on creating relationships with healthier foundations that are built on trust, respect and love. The key is to find the right solutions and therapies to help you move forward and manage insecurities and challenging emotions.
Keywords: Incel, involuntary celibacy, dating, socializing, self-image, self-confidence, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), couples therapy, support groups.
Long Tail Keywords: Negative view of themselves and their worth, forming successful relationships with little to no experience, inability to shuffle emotional baggage.
Discover support, therapies and coping strategies to help those who classify themselves as an Incel. Learn about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and couples therapy to reframe negative thinking, build trust and respect in relationships, address fears and anxieties and more
Alina