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Denial and Repression

Denial and Repression EDITH JACOBSON, M.D. Among the manifold defenses employed by the ego we find certain mechanisms, such as isolation, denial, introjection, pro- jection, which appear to play a far more prominent role in border- line or psychotic patients than in neurotics. Apparently, such patients call upon this type of defense because of a deficient re- pressive ability of the ego. But this statement does not cover the much more complicated facts. To be sure, these patients do not present an even, firm barrier of repressions with solid countercathectic ego formations which permit only certain id strivings and id derivatives to pass or intrude into the ego. Latent psychotics may have very rigid reaction formations, mostly of a compulsive type. But the latter are very fragile. During treatment we observe that such patients obstinately cling to them in frightening awareness that their potential breakdown might usher in an overt psychosis. As to the nature of their repressions, we are surprised to find that the same patients who are at any moment ready to produce undisguised id material, such as conscious incestuous and homosexual fan- tasies and the like, may present amnesias covering the most significant and traumatic childhood periods like an http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association SAGE

Denial and Repression

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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
Copyright © by SAGE Publications
ISSN
0003-0651
eISSN
1941-2460
DOI
10.1177/000306515700500102
pmid
13398327
Publisher site
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Abstract

EDITH JACOBSON, M.D. Among the manifold defenses employed by the ego we find certain mechanisms, such as isolation, denial, introjection, pro- jection, which appear to play a far more prominent role in border- line or psychotic patients than in neurotics. Apparently, such patients call upon this type of defense because of a deficient re- pressive ability of the ego. But this statement does not cover the much more complicated facts. To be sure, these patients do not present an even, firm barrier of repressions with solid countercathectic ego formations which permit only certain id strivings and id derivatives to pass or intrude into the ego. Latent psychotics may have very rigid reaction formations, mostly of a compulsive type. But the latter are very fragile. During treatment we observe that such patients obstinately cling to them in frightening awareness that their potential breakdown might usher in an overt psychosis. As to the nature of their repressions, we are surprised to find that the same patients who are at any moment ready to produce undisguised id material, such as conscious incestuous and homosexual fan- tasies and the like, may present amnesias covering the most significant and traumatic childhood periods like an

Journal

Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association – SAGE

Published: Feb 1, 1957

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