This document explores the concept of splitting in psychoanalysis, discussing its role in the defense process, its benefits, and its relation to various pathologies.
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[...] The splitting of the object is one of the defense methods against the fear caused by the internal antagonism of the individual. It blocks the psychic conflicts and allows the subject to avoid anxiety. II. The disadvantages of the splitting of the ego and the object We have understood that splitting can be necessary to fight against anxiety by reducing its intensity and preserving self-confidence. However, splitting leads to deformation or alteration. This can manifest itself through non-neurotic organizations, such as pathologies, borderline states, 'post-traumatic narcissistic pathologies' and finally addictions. [...]
[...] Then, splitting also has the ability to preserve its dignity, its pride. It is a question here of the splitting of the ego. As for the splitting of the object represented by Melanie Klein, it is a process that allows to divide the object into two parts: the one that is good and the one that is bad. The object is linked to the drive because it gives the opportunity to satisfy the drive desire of which the object of love or hate, which is material for the activity of the mind. [...]
[...] In this sense, splitting becomes a metapsychological concept. The work the Summary published in July 1938 confirms the opening of this concept and psychosis to the field of psychopathology: 'we say that in every psychosis there is a splitting of the ego, and if we hold so firmly to this postulate, it is because it is confirmed in other states closer to neuroses, and finally in these as well.'9 Reflective interrogations thus emerge in the same order of ideas: is this splitting a defensive process to correct the deficiencies of repression in extraordinary traumatic situations at the same time an opening to the denial of reality? [...]
[...] Everything takes place in the head, in the psyche but projected into reality. Regarding these psychic phenomena demonstrated by Schreber's delirium of influence, Freud thinks that 'Schreber's paranoid delirium is the realization of a projected homosexual desire.'12 The delirium here is conceived as an attempt by Schreber to return to the real world, the first part split, the libidinal satisfaction obtained through the morbid or non-morbid sensation of an incorporeal penetration coming from God is the second part split. As this is the clinical case of the subject that interests us here and knowing that he has experienced many difficulties in maintaining his self-esteem due to his symptomatic delirium, it is his xenopathic phenomena that have a great part of influence. [...]
[...] The objective of our work is to determine the benefits of the splitting of the self and those of the object, as well as the pathologies related to it. To achieve this work, we will see in the first part the advantages of the splitting of the self and the object, and in the second part we will discuss and study the different pathologies related to this splitting. A case study of Freud's work and characters President Schreber will support our argumentation. [...]
