I'm not a robot

CAPTCHA

Privacy - Terms

reCAPTCHA v4
Link



















Original text

The castration complex (CC) lies at the basis of the neurotic structure. How is it formed? The phallic stage of development is associated with the fact that libido is concentrated in the genital area. An excess of sexual tension in the genital area is a traumatic experience and provokes the so-called actual anxiety: “raw”, unmediated anxiety, not related to the object. The ego tries to get rid of tension through actions aimed at relaxation - through motor activity, compulsions, urinary incontinence, masturbation. Actual anxiety is associated with birth trauma. From the previous stage of development, the child has the experience of acquiring an object capable of protecting against this primary anxiety - this is the phallic mother. The loss of this object is a threat to the actualization of primary anxiety. This threat in itself also causes anxiety - but this is anxiety of a different kind - it is a signaling alarm: it signals the dangerous proximity of the primary anxiety. Therefore, here we are talking about primary repression, which buried the actual anxiety - it is the cornerstone connecting the actual neurosis and subsequent neurotic construction. A characteristic feature of the phallic phase of development - in addition to the shift of libido to the genital area - is the desire of the infantile subject to know about gender issues: the difference between the sexes, the birth of children, relationships between the sexes. Attempts to find answers to these questions give rise to new images and phantasms: the phantasm of the castration of the phallic mother, the phantasm of seduction, the phantasm of the first scene and violence. These primitive fantasies represent the basis for future psychoneuroses. Now the need for a mother is transformed into sexual attraction to her. The erect penis (phallus) in the child's fantasy becomes an instrument of reunification with the mother, which is why it is so valuable. At the same time, the father appears in the field of view as a figure posing a threat to this close relationship with the mother - an abusive father, a figure who has power over the mother and is capable of destroying the narcissistic phallic child. The situation is hopeless, the ego finds itself sandwiched between two forces: one on the other hand, the need to maintain a connection with the mother, which provides confidence and protection from actual anxiety - but the satisfaction of incestuous desire is tantamount to the loss of the phallus, and therefore the loss of life, “Trick or Treat.” How does the Ego cope with this painful contradiction? This will require more one step to adapt/protect. Libido is redirected from oedipal objects back to the Ego, the Ego is strengthened, creating identifications. In this process, secondary repression occurs - both the incestuous attraction and CC, and the phantoms that underlie CC, are repressed. The father's figure turns from a threatening one into a role model - as the owner of potency and the bearer of the Ideal - which contributes to the formation of the child's Super-Ego. Attraction to the mother is sublimated into tenderness and care, hatred of the father turns into respect and fear, satisfaction of sexual desire is postponed until later. The sexuality of the child enters the latent phase - a very important period when the child’s verbal potential develops, the range of his interests and creative possibilities expands develop, the child is socialized, acquires his voice and speech as equivalents of potency. This continues until puberty - the actual genital period in development, in which the final sexual identification and choice of an object of love occurs. This is the highest level of organization of libido and sexual development of the subject. However, the presented model is a model of ideal development. In reality, CC often unfolds differently: the ego cannot cope with the tension, the Oedipal desire is not completely dissolved in identifications - the conflict persists, creating the basis for psychoneurosis. The part of libido that is not dissolved in identifications is redirected from the genital area to the fantasy hysteriogenic body of the subject. This body is the image of his “I”, which he».