decompensation
dee-kom-pen-SAY-shun
Definition
The failure or breakdown of previously effective psychological or physiological defense mechanisms, leading to an inability to cope with stress or a decline in mental functioning.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Latin 'de-' (meaning down or away from) and 'compensatio' (meaning recompense or balancing). It entered medical and psychological discourse in the early 20th century to describe a system's inability to maintain a stable state.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe the severe decline in mental health that detained immigrants experience when their internal coping strategies are overwhelmed by the stresses of confinement. It highlights this as a documented psychological consequence of the immigration detention system.
Immigration Detention as Racialized Violence
Read the full article ↗Psychology Today