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Related Concept Videos

Traumatic Memory01:20

Traumatic Memory

340
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual...
340
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder01:27

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

197
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters, forced displacement, or severe accidents. It significantly impairs individuals' ability to cope with daily activities and disrupts their emotional and psychological equilibrium.
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
197
Repressed Memory01:16

Repressed Memory

231
Repressed memories are a psychological phenomenon where memories of traumatic events are unconsciously blocked from a person's awareness. This process occurs as a defense mechanism, protecting the mind from the emotional impact of distressing or painful experiences. For example, a person who has experienced childhood trauma may grow up with no conscious recollection of the event. In such cases, the memories are thought to be buried deep within the subconscious, inaccessible to the conscious...
231
Dissociative Disorders01:27

Dissociative Disorders

222
Dissociative disorders represent complex psychological conditions characterized by disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. These disruptions cause individuals to experience a disconnection from their thoughts, emotions, and memories. The phenomenon is not merely an occasional lapse in attention but a profound alteration in mental functioning that can severely impact daily life.
Dissociative Fugue
A hallmark feature of dissociative disorders is the dissociative fugue...
222
Psychodynamic Therapy01:29

Psychodynamic Therapy

241
Psychodynamic therapies emphasize the exploration of unconscious processes and early childhood experiences as fundamental contributors to psychological difficulties. These therapies, deeply rooted in Freud's psychoanalytic theory, aim to uncover and resolve unconscious conflicts, granting individuals insights that promote emotional and behavioral healing. Contemporary psychodynamic approaches have evolved, integrating a broader range of influences and methodologies while still valuing the...
241
False Memories01:18

False Memories

202
False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information...
202

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Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
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FURTHER THOUGHTS ON TRAUMA, PROCESS AND REPRESENTATION.

Howard B Levine1

  • 1, M.D., 124 Dean Road, Brookline, MA, 02445, USA. hblevine@aol.com.

American Journal of Psychoanalysis
|May 6, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Psychoanalytic theory links trauma to excess excitation disrupting emotional containment and representation. Successful analytic therapy can restore these capacities, which is central to therapeutic action.

Keywords:
intersubjectivityrepetition compulsionrepresentationtransformationtrauma

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Area of Science:

  • Psychoanalytic theory
  • Psychology
  • Psychotherapy

Background:

  • The concept of trauma, originating with Freud, is historically linked to disruptions in psychic regulation.
  • Excessive excitation is identified as a key factor impacting psychic development and regulatory processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of psychic regulatory processes in trauma.
  • To highlight the importance of emotional containment and representation in psychoanalytic formulations.
  • To emphasize the therapeutic action of psychoanalytic therapy in restoring these capacities.

Main Methods:

  • This abstract is based on psychoanalytic theory and formulations.
  • It reviews the conceptualization of trauma within psychoanalysis.
  • It discusses the mechanisms of therapeutic action in analytic therapy.

Main Results:

  • Trauma disrupts psychic regulatory processes, specifically emotional containment and representation.
  • These capacities are crucial for psychic development and functioning.
  • Psychoanalytic therapy facilitates the restoration and strengthening of these capacities.

Conclusions:

  • Successful analytic therapy is characterized by the intersubjective restoration of emotional containment and representation.
  • These restored capacities are fundamental to the therapeutic action in psychoanalysis.
  • The study underscores the significance of addressing psychic regulatory deficits in trauma treatment.