Abstract

FRANCA, Maria Thereza de Barros. Dualities, demonities and dimensionalities - a contribution to the study of the compulsion to repeat. Rev. bras. psicanál [online]. 2009, vol.43, n.4, pp.121-132. ISSN 0486-641X.

The author begins by approaching the pulsional dualities, the "demonities", attribute with which Freud characterized the repetition compulsion in close relation to the death drive, and the proposal of Green that we can observe the repetition compulsion dissociated from acting-out. Starting from Meltzer's dimensionalities (development of the self-object identifications in the primitive mind), the author considers that the phenomena involved in bi-dimensionality are in close relation to the compulsion to repeat, being able (or not) to represent an obstacle to the construction of a mental continent. The processes of "disarrangement" of the continent, by means of the massive action of defense mechanisms, related to the destructive drives result in increasing despoilment of emotional meaning. The theory of dimensionalities reveals itself as an interesting instrument for the clinical practice in order to observe the manifestations of the compulsion to repeat, as the author illustrates with the clinical cases presented of an adolescent, a latent one and a small child.

Keywords : compulsion to repeat in childhood; Meltzer's dimensionalities; primitive mind.

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