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Impact of Confucianism on the Early Phase of Analytic Treatment

Psychoanalysis.2024;35(4):37-41. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2024.35.4.37

There has been interest in the impact of the cultural background of analysand and analyst on psychoanalysis. Basch-Kakre(1984) argued that analyst may have more difficulty in treating analysand with different sociocultural background. There was a claim that the characteristics of Asians were not suitable for psychoanalysis. Akhtar (1999) argues that theories are likely to come from racial discourse. Psychoanalysis has been successful in non-western countries. After Confucius was born, Confu-cianism of Confucius and Confucians for 2500 years in China, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea developed with various religions and ideologies that were controversial with them and developed differently in each country. I think it is helpful to consider the effect of Confucianism on the psychoanalysis for understanding patients.

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Resistance and Narrative Truth: Problem of Bifurcation and Possibility of Complementarity

Chang-Hun LEE

Psychoanalysis.2024;35(4):50-59. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2024.35.4.50

Contemporary psychoanalysis, while diversified into various theories, fundamentally bifurcates into resistance analysis (analysis of ego) and the creation of narrative truth (analysis of drives/Id) in terms of methodology. Ego analysis, the core goal and method of ego psychology, focuses on defense and resistance analysis, aiming for maturation and development of ego functions by collaborat-ing with a patient’s ego. On the other hand, the creation of narrative truth as a methodology primarily relies on drive analysis, which bypasses patients’ ego and focuses on aspects of drives. All psychoanalysts, including Freud, tend to oscillate ambiguously between these two methodologies, moving from drive analysis to ego analysis and returning to drive analysis again. When psycho-analysts do not clearly distinguish between these opposing approaches and fail to recognize our stances, the psychoanalytic process can become confusing, leading to a lack of effective therapeutic changes for patients. Therefore, the author suggests that we should acknowledge our position of bifurcation between analysis of resistance and defense, create narrative truth, and integrate usefulness and limitations of both approaches in a complementary manner so that a higher level of therapeutic effectiveness in psychoanaly-sis could be achieved.

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Understanding Selfobject and Narcissistic Personality Disorder Through the ‘007 Series’:Based on Self Psychology

Chan Hee LEE ; Nak-Young KIM ; Soo Hyun PAIK ; Myung Seon SONG

Psychoanalysis.2024;35(4):60-66. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2024.35.4.60

In this paper, we analyzed a fictional character from the movie series (James Bond from the 007 series) based on Kohut’s self psychology to understand the formation and evolution of narcissistic personality traits. James Bond experienced sudden parental loss due to a tragic accident. He endured childhood bullying, leading to a deficiency in mirroring selfobject experiences, idealized selfobject experiences, and twinship selfobject experiences. These deficits culminated in his developing narcissistic personality disorder. However, James Bond was able to undergo a process of transmuting internalization through new selfobjects such as M and Madeleine. This enabled him to reactivate disrupted developmental processes and ultimately reach a state of healthy self.

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The Curative Effect of Mourning in Narcissistic Personality

Dae Hyun YOON ; Hyun Kown LEE ; Hye Ri YOON ; Jee-Hyun HA

Psychoanalysis.2024;35(4):42-49. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2024.35.4.42

Narcissistic personality is an ego centric personality characterized by obsession with oneself, disregard for others, and lack of empathy. It forms a spectrum from normal to pathological levels. A narcissistic person unconsciously fears death because he/she pursues immortality and omnipotence. A narcissistic person does not consider others important. Thus, he/she does not mourn separation or loss. It might be a characteristic defense of narcissistic personality. The authors selected by Japanese author Yoko Sano as a text. Many people loved the cat and cried and mourned when the cat died. However, he was reborn immediately a million times. The cat loved only itself. The cat then met a white cat and fell in love for the first time. They lived to-gether. As time passed, the white cat died. For the first time, the cat cried out loud in sadness. After crying and crying, he stoppedmoving and dying. He was not reborn again. The authors viewed the cat as a narcissistic personality and interpreted its active avoidance and denial of separation, death, and mourning as a narcissistic defense. Repeating this only strengthened his narcissistic traits.However, the momentum of change was falling in love. Losing a loved one and going through the process of mourning the eternalseparation of death for the first time became the trigger for the change in narcissistic personality.

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Mythology and the Unconscious:Focusing on Greek Mythology

Hyun Kwon LEE ; Won Ik KIM

Psychoanalysis.2025;36(2):36-47. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.2.36

This is the author’s second paper on the unconscious and space. In the first paper, based on Freud’s short thought about space (Freud 1938), the author analyzed the external space as a projection full of an individual’s extended psychic apparatus, object, and unconscious fantasies (Lee et al. 2023). Based on this result, the author analyzed the myth and expanded the unconscious space into a group, hypothesized and argued that there were traces of object function, psychic apparatus, and the unconscious fantasies shared by group members in the myth space. The author understood this psychologic function of myth as group objects, group superego, and group ego area. Although it has several limitations, this paper provides a framework for psychoanalytic under-standing of collective space and presents a new and meaningful perspective on myths.

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Psychological Mechanisms of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury:Theoretical Developments and Therapeutic Implications From Traditional to Recent Models

Jung-hyang MIN

Psychoanalysis.2025;36(2):19-27. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.2.19

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has emerged as a significant clinical concern due to its high prevalence and serious psychological consequences. From a psychoanalytic perspective, NSSI is closely associated with the expression of thanatos and aggressive drives, while ego psychology interprets it as a manifestation of fragile ego functions. Object relations theory connects NSSI to borderline instability, which arises from an inability to achieve object constancy. These foundational concepts have given rise to various psychological models over the past two decades. This review examines the development of theoretical models that ex-plain the psychological mechanisms underlying NSSI and discusses their therapeutic implications. Traditional models, such as the Four-Function Model, Experiential Avoidance Model, and Integrated Model, primarily focus on the functions of NSSI and its role in emotion regulation, emphasizing the concept of negative reinforcement. In contrast, more recent models, including the Emo-tional Cascade Model, Cognitive-Emotional Model, and Benefits and Barriers Model, highlight the interplay between cognitive strategies and emotional responses. These newer models propose a more comprehensive and individualized approach by incorpo-rating cognitive restructuring and barrier enhancement, alongside cognitive and social factors. Currently, there is a lack of “wellestablished” evidence-based treatments for NSSI. Existing interventions primarily target the improvement of emotion regulation skills through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. However, the integration of cognitive and social elements from recent models may facilitate the development of more tailored and effective treatment strategies. Future efforts should focus on the creation of personalized interventions that address individual differences in cognitive expectations and barri-ers related to NSSI and assess their effectiveness.

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Earth in Which Creative Footings Root: Rendering Silence Through Winnicott’s Concepts

Hye Soo KIM ; Hong-Suk SOHN

Psychoanalysis.2025;36(2):28-35. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.2.28

This treatise examined the intricate relationship between silence, solitude, and creativity in psychoanalytic perspective. Starting with an overview of how silence was understood, the paper subsequently explained in depth the interrelation among silence, solitude, and creativity and concluded with therapeutic implication. It focused on understanding the capacity to be alone not only as a mature or highly sophisticated phenomenon, but also a phenomenon of early life. While transitional phenomena have been extensively studied in relation to creativity, the current discourse attempts to convey that the nascent form of “being” also certainly is linked to creativity. It could be regarded as what Winnicott had sought to reach through his developing course of writings from 1958 to 1971. It seems that imposed silence, as an environment, is a prerequisite for fostering the capacity to be alone. There can also be chosen silence as a manifestation that contains solitude, the incommunicado element, and the core self. When this state manifested as chosen silence encounters a sensation or an impulse, creativity might be culminated. In brief, silence and capacity to be alone can develop in tandem into chosen silence of quietude and solitude, respectively. Using and rediscovering impulses into creative expressions are then feasible. Thus, in the interest of creativity, analysts should respect patient’s silence.

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A Better Way to Understand Children’s Minds:Lessons From “Inside Out”

Geon Ho BAHN

Psychoanalysis.2025;36(1):14-18. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.1.14

Discussing disruptive behavioral problems with the general public, children, and parents is one of the major tasks faced by medical specialists, particularly psychiatrists. Understanding children’s emotional problems is particularly challenging. Empathizing withthem can be equally difficult. In this regard, movies such as “Inside Out” provide valuable tools for medical staff to communicate with the general population. The film is an animation that personifies basic emotions of joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust in themind of a young girl, Riley, struggling to adapt to environmental changes, which subsequently leads to her deviant behavior, deci-sion-making, and actions. Other factors influencing emotions include memory and dream processing. These films can also be usedas educational resources for medical students.

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Relationship Between Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Substance Addiction in Modern Society: Exploration and Comprehension Through a Psychoanalytic Perspective

Hyunju LEE ; Jooyoun SONG ; Han-Sung LEE

Psychoanalysis.2025;36(1):9-13. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.1.9

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and substance addiction have seen a significant rise among adolescents and young adults in re-cent years. This increase is closely linked to digitalization of the modern society, which has dramatically altered how young in-dividuals interact and communicate. Although the use of smartphones, social media, and online interactions has facilitated fast information exchange and increased connectivity, it has also contributed to heightened emotional distress, isolation, and a sense of inner emptiness. NSSI and addiction are seemingly distinct issues. However, they share underlying psychological mecha-nisms such as emotional dysregulation and the reliance on harmful behaviors to cope with psychological pain. These behaviors often serve as attempts to manage unprocessed negative emotions and unresolved inner conflicts. This paper explores NSSI and addiction from a psychoanalytic perspective, focusing on psychological complexities that drive these behaviors. It also exam-ines how the lack of real-object experiences in a digital environment can lead to inner voids that individuals attempt to fill through self-destructive behaviors. The importance of understanding these phenomena from a psychoanalytic standpoint is em-phasized. It provides deeper insight into underlying causes and guides therapeutic approaches. By acting as a developmental ob-ject, a therapist can help patients address unmet developmental needs, mitigate inner conflicts, and establish healthier selfboundaries. This approach is crucial for enabling effective intervention and fostering long-term emotional stability.

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Contemporary Psychoanalytic Insights in Quantum Psychology: Quantum-Psychoanalytic Reinterpretation of Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’

Ji Sun YANG ; Chang-Hun LEE

Psychoanalysis.2025;36(1):1-8. doi:10.18529/psychoanal.2025.36.1.1

This paper explored the intersection of contemporary psychoanalytic theory and quantum psychology, offering a novel reinterpretation of Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’ through the lens of quantum-psychoanalytic concepts. By integrating Wilfred Bion’s Grid and Alpha Function with principles of quantum mechanics, this study delved into complex psychological dynamics at play within the protagonist, Gregor Samsa. Transformation of Gregor into a giant insect was reinterpreted not merely as a manifestation of his repressed emotions, but as a failure of psychic transformation within Bion’s framework, where unprocessed beta elements resulted in a catastrophic physical metamorphosis. Additionally, the observer effect was applied to analyze multifacetedpsychological interactions between Gregor and his family members, highlighting how observation and perception could influencepsychological states. This interdisciplinary approach not only provides deeper insight into psychological underpinnings of Kafka’s narrative, but also demonstrates the potential for psychoanalytic theory and quantum psychology to mutually inform and enrich each other in the analysis of literary texts.

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