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Ownership: a pathography of the self
1Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
The British Journal of Medical Psychology
|September 1, 1991
Summary
This essay proposes a new psychodynamic theory centered on ownership. Variations in self-ownership explain psychopathology and deliberate suffering, offering improvements to Freudian concepts.
Area of Science:
- Psychodynamic theory
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The concept of unconsciousness is essential for psychodynamic theories.
- The self is considered supraordinate to psychoanalytic structural theory elements.
- Existing psychodynamic theories, particularly Freudian, have limitations in their economic aspects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a psychodynamic theory based on the concept of ownership.
- To explore the relationship between the self and the unconscious.
- To explain psychopathological situations and deliberate suffering through variations in self-ownership.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of psychodynamic theory.
- Critique of Freudian economic aspects.
- Elaboration of a novel theory linking self-ownership to psychopathology.
Main Results:
- Variations in self-ownership are sufficient to generate psychopathological situations.
- The proposed theory offers a new perspective on deliberate suffering.
- The theory provides a framework for understanding and potentially improving psychodynamic approaches.
Conclusions:
- A novel psychodynamic theory based on ownership offers a comprehensive framework for understanding psychopathology.
- The theory refines Freudian concepts and addresses the issue of deliberate suffering.
- This new perspective holds significant potential for psychoanalysis and psychiatry.
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