Zur Natur des „Sechsten Sinnes“

Unconscious interactions have been conceptualized since Sigmund Freud, especially within the framework of transference and countertransference,. Nowadays, findings in the cognitive neurosciences (cognitive psychology, neurobiology) allow for a broader view of unconscious mental processes, e.g., in terms of subliminal perception or unconscious information processing. In this paper, a model is presented for understanding countertransference processes in the context of both psychoanalysis and the cognitive neurosciences. The basic concept of this model is that, within the framework of (unconscious) transference, the patient sends complex social information which the therapist perceives both consciously and unconsciously. Further unconscious information processing leads to the known countertransference phenomena, which consist of specific emotions, body feelings, fantasies, or impulses for action, and in some respects facilitate a “sixth sense” on the part of the therapist. The various processes of unconscious information processing lead to a situation in which countertransference includes parts of both the patient and therapist. At the conclusion of the paper, current neuroscientific concepts of unconscious processes are applied to countertransference, and the unconscious nature of countertransference is discussed from this perspective.     

Die emotionale Natur des „semantischen“ Raumes

Ohne ZusammenfassungHerrn Professor Dr. Wolfgang Metzger zum 65. Geburtstag in Dankbarkeit gewidmet.     

Panikattacken,ein Zusammenbruch des „Selbst“?

Anhand der Vorstellung von zwei v?llig unterschiedlich wirkenden Patienten versuche ich, die trotzdem bestehenden Gemeinsamkeiten der Menschen mit Panikattacken darzustellen. Es scheint so, als k?nnten diese Menschen Gefühle zwar allgemein spüren, aber nicht genug differenzieren und zuordnen. Mentzos sieht in der vom Patienten erlebten Angst vor dem Verlust der physischen Existenz als Todesangst eine tiefer liegende Angst vor Selbstverlust. Dieser Hypothese folgend kommt es durch St?rung der frühen Mutter-Kind-Beziehung zur Fehlentwicklung von Repr?sentanzen bei Patienten mit Panikerkrankungen. Diese Menschen reagieren dann in Situationen, denen emotionale Reaktionen entsprechen, mit k?rperlichen Symptomen, weil die Affektrepr?sentanzen nicht ausreichen, um es als psychisches Erlebnis unterzubringen. Für die Therapie von Panikerkrankungen bedeutet diese Arbeitshypothese, dass die Einbringung aller Gefühle trotz hartn?ckiger Abwehr seitens der Patienten sehr wichtig ist, um eine Nachreifung der Repr?sentanzen zu erm?glichen.     

Amodale Ergänzung und „Erwartungsfehler“ des Gestaltpsychologen

Zusammenfassung Der Fehler des Gestaltpsychologen wird durch das Erstaunen enthüllt, das von einem gestaltpsychologisch orientierten Forscher empfunden wird, wenn eine gewisse Erscheinung den Erwartungen nicht entspricht, die eine schematische Anwendung des Gestaltprinzips hervorrufen würde. Einige Beispiele, in denen ein solcher Fehler in klarer Weise erscheint, werden angegeben und besprochen. Es werden noch einige Bemerkungen über manche Bedingungen und Folgen der amodalen Ergänzung hinzugefügt.

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Amodal totalization and the Gestalt-Error

Summary The gestalt-expectation-error consists in the surprise felt by a gestalt oriented student of perception, when a perceptual phenomenon does not correspond to the expectations raised by a schematic application of gestalt laws. Some examples of such expectation-errors are presented and discussed. A few remarks on the conditions and the effects of amodal completion phenomena are added.

     

„Bluttaten“ und „schizophrene Politik“

Background

The role of printed media in the maintenance of stigmatization has been a subject of debate for several years now. As for stigmatization of schizophrenia, previous research has frequently focused on stereotypes in newspaper articles and the metaphoric use of the word “schizophrenic” for something contradictory, aloof or ridiculous.

Aim

The objective of this study was to quantify the frequency of stigmatizing articles with regard to the specific type of stigmatizing content in German broadsheets and tabloids.

Material and methods

A total of 391 articles extracted from the entirety of all issues of the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Spiegel, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the tabloid BILD from 2011 were content-analyzed for stereotypes, false statements and metaphoric use of schizophrenia.

Results

Stigmatizing elements were prevalent in each newspaper (40.4–66.7?%). Among broadsheets the metaphoric use constituted the predominant form of stigmatization, whereas depictions of persons with schizophrenia as dangerous and unpredictable prevailed in the tabloid BILD.

Conclusion

Metaphoric use and blatant discrimination are still highly prevalent in German newspapers. While metaphoric use may be stopped by renaming the disorder schizophrenia, further efforts are needed to raise awareness for and ultimately prevent the reification of stereotypes in printed media.     

Can Studies of Autism Teach us About Consciousness of the Physical and the Mental?

Abstract

Most scientists and theorists concerned with the problem of consciousness focus on our consciousness of the physical world (our sensations, feelings, and awareness). In this paper I consider our consciousness of the mental world (our thoughts about thoughts, intentions, wishes, and emotions).The argument is made that these are two distinct forms of consciousness, the evidence for this deriving from studies of autism. Autism is a severe childhood psychiatric condition in which individuals may be conscious of the physical world but not of the mental world. Relevant experimental evidence is described, including some recent neuroimaging studies pointing towards the neural basis of our consciousness of the mental.     

„FreiRaum“

Zusammenfassung  Ein Blick in die kunsttherapeutische Praxis und Theorie ergibt weiterhin — nach einer vieljährigen Entwicklungs- und Etablierungsgeschichte in unterschiedlichsten Praxisfeldern in Deutschland — ein sehr buntes und vielfältiges Bild. Diese Vielfalt bezieht sich auf die Vorgehensweisen, die Arbeitsfelder und die zugrunde liegenden Theorien. Sie birgt viele Chancen eines individuellen Freiraums und macht die Kunsttherapie zu einem wertvollen Teil des therapeutischen Angebots in Medizin, Psychotherapie und Pädagogik. Gleichzeitig erschwert die Vielfalt den Versuch einer systematischen Erfassung der verschiedenen Facetten. Unser Augenmerk bei der Sichtung wichtiger Grundorientierungen und Konzepte von Kunsttherapie liegt dabei besonders auf den Potentialen der bildenden Kunst in der therapeutischen Beziehung.

Behavior Problems at 5 Years of Age and Maternal Mental Health in Autism and Intellectual Disability

We examined child behavior problems and maternal mental health in a British population-representative sample of 5 year-old children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), controlling for the presence of an intellectual disability (ID). Behavior problems were significantly higher in children with ASD with/out ID compared to typically developing children, but compared to children with ID only hyperactivity was significantly higher in children with ASD/ID. After controlling for ID and maternal mental health, the presence of ASD significantly increased the odds for hyperactivity, conduct problems and emotional symptoms. Negative maternal outcomes (serious mental illness, psychological distress, and physical health limitations) were not consistently elevated in ASD. The findings highlight the early age at which behavior problems emerge in ASD, and suggest that at this age , there may not be a clear disadvantage for maternal mental health associated with having a child with ASD in the family, over and above that conferred by child behavior problems.     

„Peak Oil“

Scientific prognoses augur the advent of “Peak Oil”, or maximum possible global oil production, in our time. After this maximum, production rates will begin to drop due to increasing capillary pressure in rock deposits, and new discoveries will be unable to compensate for the additive drop in production rates. At the same time, a global increase in energy consumption is also predicted. It is to be expected that the discrepancy between production and demand (heat, mobility, oil-based chemicals) will lead to political destabilisation not only between the “industrial” and “developing” nations, but also in democratic systems. Like the biblical “mene tekel”, “Peak Oil” may be interpreted psychoanalytically as another ecological omen which should arouse civilization to ward off coming disaster. Up to now, psychoanalysts have dealt only sparingly with this perspective. The wake-up call of scientists and publicists in the media has prompted little reaction among consumers and decision-makers. Instead, utopian and/or apocalyptic visions of the future are the order of the day. In correspondence with the Airbus motto: “We must use the air to preserve the earth”, a project of the Max Planck Society is working on “flying automobiles”. In view of these phenomena, our paper presents for discussion the hypothesis of a collective manic denial with splitting of the ego. We try here to limit psychoanalytic speculations with a clinical vignette. It may be asked to what extent the psychoanalytic method – in matters of ecological reality – runs the risk today of entering into collusion with the above-mentioned collective denial, instead of working through it lege artis on the basis of the reality principle.     

Wie der Fall des „Eisernen Vorhangs“ die innere Welt veränderte

Using exemplary events and personal experiences, the path of the author is described since the peaceful revolution of 1989 up to the present, as a migration without changing location. In doing this, the historic events are broken down at the personal level, individually analyzed and reflected on. The author describes that the soul needs many years, even decades, before it catches up with historic upheavals. Only after the successful integration into the altered social conditions is one liberated to responsible thinking and actions beyond one’s own horizon, a current topic of explosive nature.

Die Mauer Als wir sie schleiften, ahnten wir nicht, wie hoch sie ist in uns Wir hatten uns gewöhnt an ihren horizont Und an die windstille In ihrem schatten warfen alle keinen schatten Nun stehen wir entblößt jeder entschuldigung Reiner Kunze (1990, zitiert 2000)

     

Diagnose „Gesundheit“

In the early days of psychotherapy diagnoses were seen as unnecessary and even not helpful. After psychotherapy has become a method of medical treatment diagnoses are necessary in order to justify reimbursement of treatment by health insurance. Diagnoses are also useful to guide treatment, help communication between professionals and morbidity statistics. Diagnoses can have negative effects, such as simplification of complex problems, aggravation of normal life experiences or stigmatization and labelling. Therefore, diagnoses should be made when a person is suffering from an illness in order to avoid underrecognition and undertreatment. Similarly, the diagnosis “healthy” is important when no disease is present but only a normal problem in everyday life. To say that a person is healthy is an important and difficult task in all areas in medicine. Therapists must not only know the criteria for illnesses but also those for the spectrum of healthy problems in normal life. This can be done when the psychopathological assessment is professionally precise and makes a differentiation between signs of illness and other negative feelings. Also, normal life events must not be directly translated into illness states. Furthermore, therapists must be aware of their diagnostic preferences and bias. In the training of psychotherapists recognition of healthy states should get as much attention as the diagnosis of illnesses.