The theory of schizophrenic negativism / by E. Bleuler ; translated by William A. White.

  • Eugen Bleuler
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The theory of schizophrenic negativism / by E. Bleuler ; translated by William A. White. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    But the autistic patients have, not alone, a positive reason for busying themselves undisturbed with their own ideas where they see their wishes fulfilled. The imagined happiness is not abso¬ lute. It is destroyed not only through the influences of the outer world and the conception of reality, but in its place appears much oftener at once under such circumstances, the sensation of the opposite, of the, in reality, unfulfilled wish. All these patients have a life wound, which is split off from the ego as well as may be, and hidden by an opposite conception. For that reason they must defend themselves against any contact with their complex; and, as in the splitup thought process of the schizophrenic, every¬ thing, so to say, may have its association to the complex, so every¬ thing may be painful to them that comes from the outside. This genesis of negativistic phenomena may often be established through observation or direct experiment when touching of the complexes calls forth the negativism, where it would not other¬ wise appear. With this conduct the patients exaggerate and caricature only one of the usual manifestations of the normal. It is a general experience, that questions, which relate to complexes, are at once answered in the negative, even when the persons wish to be open, and afterwards speak of it without dissembling. For there exists an instinctive tendency to conceal the complex. Normal persons, likewise see to it that their life’s wound is not touched upon, and they also often have in misfortune the tendency, to withdraw within themselves, because by contact with others there are so many things that root up the pains, by associations with the complex. Even in consequence of bodily pains, which can not be relieved, we often see negativistic conduct, especially in chil¬ dren, who under such circumstances draw back and become re-
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