Sándor Ferenczi

The contribution and work of Ferenczi

Thought

In psychoanalysis, one considers that the etiology psychic pathologies takes its source in the Enfance and the first childhood, in a chronological way: the Psychose S have their etiology anchored in infancy, on a psychic level much more antiquated than the Névrose S.

This thus explains the interest of Ferenczi for the most moved back periods of childhood, and in particular for the formation of the psychic Appareil: the concept of Introjection rises from this interest for the narcissistic pathologies, like its design of the child and thus of the adult.

Introjection

As of 1909, it writes Transfert and Introjection where it describes this psychic operation which is the reverse of projection.

Introjection is a identificatoire mode particular, consistent in the interiorization of features and qualities of the outside world in oneself, without consideration of border inside/outside.

It is a form of extension of ego in its unconscious integration of the externality. Precise Ferenczi: “The man can like only itself and only, to like to him another to introjecter this other in its own me is equivalent”

Counter-transference

The Contre-transfert has for Ferenczi and the majority of the modern psychoanalysts a paramount importance: it was the first to think it truly. The counter-transference represents the unconscious reactions of the analyst vis-a-vis the analytical situation, i.e. vis-a-vis its patient and with the transfer, according to its own history and of its unconscious.

According to Ferenczi, it is essential to elucidate the counter-transference of the psychoanalyst at the same time as this one clarifies the transfer of its patient: the nonelaborate against-tranferential residues pollute the therapeutic relation and prevent the treatment.

The suggestion being a nonquantifiable phenomenon in psychoanalytical therapy, the analysis of the counter-transference makes it possible to locate the unconscious desires of the psychoanalyst and thus to make so that they do not parasitize the treatment of the patient. The psychoanalyst could indeed impose on his patient erroneous interpretations, corresponding to his own desire, to which the patient could not react: its denials would be interpreted like resistance or negative Transfert.

This major theoretical projection gave place to the installation of the most important law of the psychoanalytical practice: analysis of the analyst , whom one calls psychoanalysis of control.

The confusion of language

In 1932, in Confusion of language between the adults and the child , Ferenczi exposes what gives the bases of its theories on the Trauma: the adult and the newborn do not speak the same language.

The adult would impose on the child a language Passion, impresses unconscious Sexualité that the child, whose language is tender and nonpassion, cannot work out. The parental stimuli overflow the capacities of Métabolisation of the child, being able to constitute a true traumatism, driving towards the Splitting of the ego and the fold on oneself.

Ferenczi describes also the Identification with the aggressor: the child, whose psychic prematuration does not enable him to support the language and the impassioned behaviors of the adult, submits himself then to the adult considered as attacker, internalisant the parental unconscious culpability at the same time.

Introjection being the identificatoire mode privileged Oral stage, this seduction originating by the mother (and either by the father) would have according to Ferenczi her place in the constitution of the Hystérie.

The scandal is guessed: after the abandonment by Freud of the Neurotica, Ferenczi positions back the concept of Theory of seduction, anchoring in reality a Traumatisme that Freud thought phantasm.

This trauma original of the parental seduction of the innocent child, in request for tenderness, is for Ferenczi one moment constitutive of psyché human. He considers whereas the psychoanalytical technique does not explore enough this request for tenderness which with him the patient brings.

The trauma

This confusion of language, paradigm of the Violence unconscious nursery school and the suffering of the child, induced a constitutive traumatism, putting the child in position to work out particular mechanisms of defense in order to resist it and to leave there intact.

This idea is found besides at Donald Winnicott, which sees at the origin of the psychic apparatus a traumatism first.

This trauma early at the origin of our is thus psyché as well as of the mental health disorders, just as the Oedipus complex is the central complex for Freud.

In addition, Ferenczi gives on the real scene the concept of traumatism.

From the studies undertaken on the soldiers and the patients suffering from Traumatic neurosis, it from of deduced that a brittleness constitutive of ego going back to the first childhood makes this one permeable to a too great excitation, acting like effraction of the psychic system, which does not have then an other choice of survival to be parcelled out.

The mnemic-trace of the event effractant (within the meaning of Fear) finds separate and isolated from the remainder of psychism, however remainder alive although unconscious. The patient then finds himself in situation to repeat unceasingly, in his Rêve S, the traumatic situation: the conscious recollection is impossible and prevents the development.

Technique

If the adult carries in him the child of tenderness which it describes, the psychoanalytical orthodoxe technique cannot be enough. Indeed the analysis of the dreams and free associations is addressed to patients neurotics, having reached the stage of the Oedipus and having worked out the problems of the Castration.

The patient psychotics function on a level much originating, their disorder would have been born when they had not acquired the language yet, when they were still Infans according to the terminology of Ferenczi. The psychosis would be a blocking at the stage of the Primary narcissism preventing the constitution of the Me.

The technique must thus undergo rehandlings in order to relieve these subjects, to even cure them: one can address same manner to an infant only with one child four year old, in particular under the terms of the difference of the languages, but also of psychic conformation different and the capacities from development.

For Ferenczi, the technique freudienne is a technique putting on the tranferential scene the father, whereas the mother would have also her place, a repairing place of the traumatized child that the adult carries in him.

Freud said besides to Hilda Doolittle, its pupil: I do not like to be the mother in the transfer, that surprises me and shocks me always a little, I feel so male .

Relieving

On the basis of the idea that the child of the confusion of language does not have words, its lived primarily body, and is thus anchored on an unconscious level deeper good: the access to the original trauma cannot be done by the usual technique.

Ferenczi thus recommends, at the beginning of its technical tests, an access by the body, in particular by the Relaxation and the Respiration.

Active technique

This therapeutic technique was exposed by Ferenczi the first time in 1920, with the Congress of $the Hague.

Ferenczi starts from a report: certain patients take pleasure with the usual rule of the analysis which free Association is the . Free association can be indeed transformed among certain patients (in particular obsessional neuroses) into a verbosity which does not have great therapeutic utility and which represents a defense in itself: the contents brought during the meetings do not have a interpretative value and the subject protects the unconscious representations.

In the same way, certain hysterical patients move their symptoms on driving practices masturbatoires camouflaged, such as the contraction of the legs, or a Miction attends, thus preventing the analysis of the unconscious contents.

Ferenczi makes use of prohibitions then, of prohibitions, aiming at preventing these derivative practices, in order to facilitate the access to the unconscious psychic contents and to advance the treatment. It refers besides to Freud which required of some patient phobic to face the object or the situation phobogene .

The active technique would facilitate according to him the Return of the repressed by preventing the Compulsion to repeat, and would be to use only précautionneusement, in the moments of damning up of the treatment.

Ferenczi was to realize thereafter that this activity of the analyst could reinforce resistances of the patient, the therapeutist occupying then the position of the Surmoi: it will give up finally the active technique.

Mutual analysis

The invention of the mutual analysis takes its source in disappointments of Ferenczi compared to the orthodoxe psychoanalysis recommended by Freud. Ferenczi observes only too the hypocrisy and the indifference of the analysts towards their patients, these taking refuge behind their knowledge and their concepts. The requirement of Ferenczi towards the cure is however too important so that it acts as follows: it is for him essential to cure, look after, relieve the patients.

This disappointment is reinforced by the technical specifications of Freud: “I will not be able to too much recommend to my colleagues to take as model, during the analytical treatment, the surgeon” or “For analyzed, the doctor must remain impenetrable and, with the manner of a mirror, do nothing but reflect what one shows him”.

In its clinical Newspaper , Ferenczi brings back moreover tendentious remarks made by Freud: “I must remember certain remarks of Freud, which it dropped in my presence, counting obviously on my discretion: “the patients, it is of the rabble”. 2) The patients are good to only make us live, and they are material to learn. We cannot help them, in any event. ” (1932).

Ferenczi wonders then about this position of the analysts, who tend to deny the speech of their patients using concepts such as the projection, the resistances, etc It advances the idea that the analysts fight their own complexes thus, preserving their patients and going more comfortable work.

Ferenczi thus denounces this position freudienne surgeon , preferring to him that of obstetrician : the mutual analysis is the result of this idea.

The mutual analysis was thought like a situation of mutual confidence, putting at bottom the hypocrisy and the position of superiority cut off from the analyst, where the analyst and the patient were to end up dividing the same theoretical and technical tools to look after itself mutually. The requirement of Vérité of Ferenczi thus pushed it to consider the mutual analysis as the place where nothing must be you, and where all must be analyzed.

This technique, although on the basis of a real and essential report, fell finally into the absurdity, with the analysis of Elisabeth Severn, taking incredible proportions, upsetting completely the framework of the Cure and any framework in general.

Ferenczi recognizes the dangers of the mutual analysis then and gives up the technique, while continuing to require itself authenticity and retreat by the analysis of the counter-transference.

The néocatharsis

Just like for relieving, this technical attempt takes as a starting point the difficulty in reaching to the patients having lived serious traumatisms in their childhood.

It was seen that according to Ferenczi the traumatism (real and either phantasm) induced a cleavage of psychism, a parcelling out of his various parts and prevented the constitution of one me effective and authentic.

The idea of Ferenczi is then of " to return to the source" , to some extent, and to allow the unification of ego which could not be realized at the time.

For that, it recommends tenderness and the compassion, the couvade , a position very maternante thus, making it possible to the patient to live again in a way gratifiante and constructive the period when it failed before.

The to only say , the intellectual comprehension is not enough in the cases to real traumatism, only the emotional investment of the patient by the analyst can allow the rebuilding.

The " attitude; chirurgienne" freudienne would even come to reinforce the traumatism, repeating the attitude of silence and secrecy of the parents, which marks the second time of the constitution of the traumatism.

Conviction and belief

It is thus seen that the requirement of Ferenczi is this one: to offer to the patient a therapy adapted, to break the repetition of the parental attitude which requires of the child his belief. Ferenczi prefers that the patient is convinced .

The child according to him is too often obliged to keep silence and to believe his parents blindly, whereas it would be to better collect his word, its request, and to restore the love to him which will found its conviction (one can establish here the link with the theory bionnienne of the elements bêtas and the function alpha).

Posterity

The work of Ferenczi, struck Ostracism by most of the psychoanalytical community, was redécouverte tardily. However, of many psychoanalysts its traces follow and make it possible the psychoanalysis the daily newspaper to have a more human face: Nicolas Abraham, Maria Torok, Judith, Dupond, Lucien Mélèse, Pascal Hachet, Serge Tisseron, Claude Nachin, Saverio Tomasella, etc

Works

Psychoanalysis I , Psychoanalysis II , Psychoanalysis III and Psychoanalysis IV , complete Works, Payot.
clinical Newspaper (posthumous), Paris, Payot, 1985.
Ferenczi, S., Groddeck, G. (1921-1933). Correspondence . Paris, Payot, 1982.
Ferenczi, S., Freud, S. (1908-1914). Correspondence . Paris, Calmann-Levy. 1992.
Ferenczi, S., Freud, S. (1914-1933). Correspondence . Paris, Calmann-Levy. 1996.
Confusion of language enters the adults and the child. The dream of the erudite infant and extracts of the clinical newspaper , with a foreword of G. Harrus-Révidi, Payot-Pocket ISBN 2228899186
the traumatism , ED.: Payot-pocket, 2006, ISBN 2228900699
Thalassa: Origins of life psychoanalyze sexual , preceded by Masculin and female , ED.: Payot, 2002, ISBN 2228896152
Psychoanalysis, volume 1: Complete works , ED.: Payot, 1990, ISBN 2228881554
Psychoanalysis, volume 2: Complete works, 1913-1919 , ED.: Payot, 1994, clinical ISBN 2228881546
Newspaper, January-October 1932 , ED.: Payot, 1990, ISBN 2228881570
Ferenczi, S., Freud, S: Correspondence 1 ED.: Calmann-Levy, 1996, ISBN 2702125425
Ferenczi, S., Freud, S: Correspondence 3 Calmann Levy, 2000, ISBN 2702131050

By years:

1908

Of the range of the premature ejaculation
neuroses in the light of the teaching of Freud and the psychoanalysis
psychoanalytical Interpretation and treatment of the psychosexual impotence
Psychoanalysis and pedagogy

1909

Of the psychoneuroses
scientific Interpretation of the dreams
Transfer and Introjection
New remarks on the Homosexuality
Of the interpretation of the melodies which come you to mind. in: 4, complete Œuvres Tome IV psychoanalyze: 1927-1933. Paris, Payot, 1982, pp. 201 to 202.

1910

Words obscenes

1911

Anatole France, psychoanalyst
a case of Paranoia started by an excitation of the anal zone
the psychology of the witty remark and comic
Of the history of the psychoanalytical movement
alcohol and the neuroses

1912

directional Dreams
the concept of Introjection
transitory Symptoms during a psychoanalysis
a case of already considering
various Notes
the figuration symbolic system of the reality and pleasure principles in the myth of Oedipus
Philosophy and psychoanalysis
Suggestion and psychoanalyzes
various Notes
the knowledge of the Inconscient
Contribution to the study of the onanism

1913

Importance of the psychoanalysis in justice and the company
Raising of a wild horse
With which are his dreams told?
genesis of the " Juice primae noctis"
Ambroise has Liébault, on the role of unconscious in the morbid psychic states
Extraits from the " Psychologie" of Hermann Lotze
Faith, credulity and conviction under the angle of medical psychology
the development of the direction of reality and its stages
the symbolism of the eyes
the " complex of large-père"
a small man-cock
a transitory symptom: the position of the patient during the cure
compulsive Search for etymology
Symbolism of cloths
the kite, symbol of erection
Paraesthesias of the genital area in certain cases of impotence
intestinal gases: privilege of the infantile adults
Representations of the female genital
infantile Design of digestion
Cause of the contained attitude of a Critical child
of " Metamorphoses and symbols of the libido". of Jung
Ontogenesis of the symbols

1914

Some clinical observations of paranoiac patients and paraphrenic
the Homoérotisme: nosology of male homosexuality
Obsessional neurosis and piety
Feeling of giddiness at the end of the analytical meeting
When the patient falls asleep during the meeting of analysis
psychic Effets of the sun baths
ashamed Mains
to rub the eyes: substitute of the onanism
vermin: symbol of pregnancy
horror to smoke of the cigars and the cigarettes
" The oublie" of a symptom
Ontogeneses of the interest for the money
discontinuous Analysis
Progress of the psychoanalytical theory of the neuroses
the psychoanalysis of the crime
Contribution to the study of the psychological types (Jung)

1919

neuroses of Sunday
Dislike for the breakfast

1923

Symbolism of the head of Jellyfish
a “anal hollow penis” at the woman
shivering with the squealing of glass, etc
“Matérialisation” of the globus hystericus

See too

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