Abstract
Eating disorders cover different clinical syndromes, all of which are characterized by an immense focus on food, body and weight, an endless attempt to combat the body and by a fluctuation between ‘too much and not enough’ on different levels (e.g., behaviourally, mentally, physically).
The aim of this article is to contribute to the psychoanalytic understanding of eating disorders, to highlight the vital importance of the symptoms as a psychological survival strategy and to illustrate similarities between eating disordered patients as well as the very different pathways that can lead to an eating disorder. Two clinical cases are presented, one very shortly and one in more detail.
The aim of this article is to contribute to the psychoanalytic understanding of eating disorders, to highlight the vital importance of the symptoms as a psychological survival strategy and to illustrate similarities between eating disordered patients as well as the very different pathways that can lead to an eating disorder. Two clinical cases are presented, one very shortly and one in more detail.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Scandinavian Psychoanalytic Review |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 126-136 |
| ISSN | 0106-2301 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 May 2017 |
Keywords
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Eating disorders
- anorexia nervosa
- bulimia nervosa
- clinical cases
- use of language
- hidden trauma
- fear of break down
- second skin
- disturbance of symbolization
- fragmented body ego