Overview
Catharsis in common usage refers to a feeling of intense satisfaction, usually in reference to some kind of repressed emotion, thought, or fantasy being expressed.
History and Etymology
The word is derived from the Ancient Greek term katharsis which was used in the context of spiritual purification. Aristotle used it in Poetics in reference to the way audiences react to tragedies in theaters. By drawing out unpleasant feelings like pity, fear, and grief, the theater can serve to cleanse the audience of these emotions. We might say the modern equivalent is watching a sad movie to help release and work through sadness within us, which we might call a cathartic experience.
In the 19th century, psychologists like Sigmund Freud and Josef Breuer began using the term “catharsis” to describe the release of repressed emotions and trauma lingering in one’s unconscious or subconscious.