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Neurosis: A Spectrum Between Loss and Excess of Control
All of Freud's work suggests that neurosis evolves either towards a loss of control, psychosis (hysteria), or too much control, perversion (obsession); this is the fundamental tension of his work, that neurosis lies somewhere on an axis, with psychosis at one end marked by a break from reality and a loss of ego control mechanisms, and perversion at the other end, characterized by a rigid psychic organization and a fixation on specific modes of drive satisfaction that are often deviant from social norms.
Phobias, at the center, are essentially neuroses, fears, that have not evolved along this axis, and by stagnating, become swamps.
Freudian thought, although complex, offers a fascinating perspective on the human psychic organization. At the heart of this perspective lies the notion of neurosis, often mistakenly perceived as an isolated pathology but which is actually constitutive of the ego.
Here, we propose a vision of neurosis not as a static entity, but as a dynamic equilibrium point on a spectrum whose extremes could be psychosis and perversion.
Fundamentally, neurosis emerges from the conflict between our drives (the "id"), internalized prohibitions (the "superego"), and the necessity to adapt to reality (the "ego"). It is the ego's defense mechanisms, seeking to manage the anxiety arising from this conflict, that shape the different neurotic expressions.
Imagine an axis.
At one end, we find psychosis. Characterized by a break from reality and a loss of ego control mechanisms, psychosis could be interpreted as a "takeover by the id." Drives overwhelm regulatory capacities, leading to a surge of the unconscious and an altered perception of the external world.
At the other end, perversion takes shape. Far from being a simple behavioral deviation, it could be conceptualized as a "takeover by the superego." Here, prohibitions are paradoxically integrated and diverted to serve a specific and rigid drive satisfaction. The psychic structure becomes fixed in repetitive scenarios, testifying to an excessive control exerted by a particular superego.
Neurosis, in its phobic diversity, would then be situated between these two poles, and this entire axis is neurotic. Neurotic symptoms would be compromise attempts between the pressures of the id and the demands of the superego, modulated by the ego's capacities.
Envisioning neurosis as a spectrum between a loss of control (psychosis) and an excess of control (perversion) allows for a better understanding of the fundamental dynamic at work in psychic organization. This approach underscores the importance of understanding the mechanisms of drive management and the respective roles of the id, ego, and superego in the formation of our psychic experience; if the superego takes over the ego, we are in perversion, over-control, the hunt, even if there is no transgression, which is just another form of drive control; conversely, if the id takes over the ego, we are in psychosis, out of control, the dream.
The Enigma of Rehabilitation: A Look at Scandinavian Systems
The Toltec analogy of warriors and dreamers offers us a new perspective on the neurotic spectrum. By transposing this idea to the context of penitentiary systems, particularly Scandinavian ones, surprising reflections emerge regarding our approach to mental illness.
Traditionally, our societies tend to clearly distinguish the psychotic, often perceived as ill and requiring care in a psychiatric institution (the asylum), from the pervert, seen as a delinquent who must be punished and incarcerated (prison). This rigid dichotomy reflects the perception of the psychotic as having "lost control" and the pervert as exercising a deviant "excess of control."
However, this binary distinction deserves nuance. If we stick to etymology, the term "perversion," from the Latin pervertere, means to divert. Similarly, "to seduce" also comes from a root implying a diversion from an initial path. From a Freudian perspective, perversion could then be understood as a drive energy whose natural trajectory is diverted and rigidified by an excessive superego. Psychosis, etymologically "disease of the soul," manifests a break from reality, a loss of control that evokes a state of illness.
However, if psychosis is undeniably an illness, perversion is just as much so. The rigid psychic organization and the drive fixations of the pervert testify to a profound dysfunction, a psychic suffering that, although expressed differently from psychosis, is no less real.
Scandinavian penitentiary systems, by emphasizing rehabilitation rather than punishment, seem to grasp this complexity. By offering an environment focused on personal development, education, and psychological support, they implicitly recognize that deviant behavior, including what we call "perverse," can be the symptom of underlying and potentially amendable suffering.
This approach contrasts sharply with a vision that confines the "pervert" to the role of a wicked tormentor deserving only sanction, and the "psychotic" to that of a poor innocent victim incapable of undergoing trial; moreover, they are a victim of the pervert. Here, we find the dynamics of Karpman's drama triangle, the victim and the persecutor, but what about the saviors? The far right and far left often position themselves there, each in their own way, self-proclaimed righteous, where the "wokes" embody the compassionate saviors of psychotics, and where the MAGA of QAnon's "Great Awakening" save children from the hands of a pedophile cabal.
Thus, envisioning psychosis and perversion as the two extremes of the same neurotic spectrum invites us to go beyond these hasty moral judgments. Recognizing the inherent suffering in both states opens the way to more therapeutic and potentially more effective approaches, even in the context of socially unacceptable behaviors. Rehabilitation, like the Scandinavian efforts, could then no longer be perceived as an indulgence towards "evil," but as a recognition of the complexity of the human soul and an attempt to restore a lost psychic balance, regardless of the manifestation of this imbalance.
The Nietzschean Genealogy of Morality: Moving Beyond Psychic Manichaeism
The binary distinction between the sick psychotic and the delinquent pervert, which Scandinavian systems attempt to overcome through a rehabilitation approach, finds a relevant illumination in Friedrich Nietzsche's On the Genealogy of Morality.
This philosophical perspective deconstructs the origin of our moral conceptions, revealing how values initially linked to strength and nobility were subverted to give birth to a so-called "slave morality," founded on resentment and victimhood.
Nietzsche explains that the notions of "good" and "evil" do not have a transcendent or natural origin. Initially, the "good" was what was noble, powerful, and healthy, while the "bad" was associated with what was weak and contemptible.
However, a "slave revolt" in the moral realm occurred. The oppressed, incapable of acting and asserting themselves, inverted these values. Their powerlessness was transmuted into virtue, their weakness into goodness, and their oppressors, initially "good," were redefined as "bad" and "evil."
This genealogy reveals that our tendency to rigidly categorize individuals into "good" (victims, psychotics) and "bad" (tormentors, perverts) is the result of a historical and psychological construction, rather than an intrinsic truth. This morality of resentment erects barriers and prevents a nuanced understanding of human complexity. It fixes individuals in predefined roles, perpetuating a cycle of judgment and punishment without seeking to understand the roots of suffering.
Applied to our discussion, Nietzsche's genealogy suggests that our psychic Manichaeism, which opposes the sick to the delinquent, is a manifestation of this "slave morality." We tend to sympathize with the one who seems "weak" (the psychotic) and condemn the one who appears "strong" (the pervert), without examining the underlying suffering that animates their respective behaviors, which is a lack of science. Nietzsche's ethical critique is in this sense also epistemological.
By adopting a genealogical perspective, we are invited to go beyond these hasty moral judgments. Recognizing that the categories of "psychotic" and "pervert" can both be expressions of a psychic imbalance, as the Scandinavian approach suggests, represents a step towards a more mature human science and a more enlightened ethic.
It is about deconstructing our inherited moral reflexes to embrace a deeper understanding of the complexity of the human soul and pave the way for truly effective rehabilitation approaches.
The Toltec Echo: Warriors and Dreamers, a Necessary Alliance
From the Toltec perspective, an illuminating analogy emerges, enriching our understanding of the neurotic spectrum.
Imagine civilization as a vast collective project.
At one end, we find the dreamers, those whose fertile imagination explores the confines of reality, sometimes at the risk of drifting away from it. They embody a certain psychic fluidity, a capacity to deconstruct norms and envision new possibilities. In Freudian terms, they might approach a certain "takeover by the id," an increased sensitivity to the currents of the unconscious, a source of innovation but also of vulnerability in the face of the limits of reality.
At the other end stand the warriors, characterized by their discipline, rigor, and self-control. They are the guardians of structures, the artisans of order. Their strength lies in their ability to channel their energy, establish clear boundaries, and maintain a form of control over their environment. This posture echoes the "takeover by the superego," where rules and prohibitions are forcefully internalized, ensuring social cohesion but also potentially engendering a certain rigidity.
In this analogy, neurosis, with its multiple expressions, represents the field of tension between these two poles. The "warriors" are not intrinsically perverse individuals sick with their control, even if "perverse" is the chosen word, just as the "dreamers" are not necessarily psychotic individuals in their imaginative exploration. On the contrary, the dynamic of a healthy society might lie in the recognition and valorization of both these forces.
The "warriors," with their sense of structure and protection, can become the ramparts of the "dreamers," helping them to anchor their visions in reality, to navigate the constraints of the tangible world without getting lost in the meanders of their own psyche. Their "too much control" can then transform into a stabilizing force, a secure framework for the blossoming of new ideas.
Conversely, the "dreamers," through their ability to transcend established limits and imagine alternative futures, nourish society with creativity and new perspectives. Their sensitivity to underlying currents, often perceived as a form of "loss of control," can in reality be a source of intuition and innovation essential to progress.
Thus, rather than opposing these two poles as distinct pathological states, it is more relevant to envision them as complementary forces within the same spectrum. A society that stigmatizes one in favor of the other impoverishes itself. True richness lies in the ability to recognize the intrinsic value of each position and to foster an alliance where the protective strength of the "warriors" supports the imaginative audacity of the "dreamers," for the benefit of all. Neurosis, in its diversity, is then no longer a stagnant swamp, but a fertile ground where this dynamic tension can express itself and resolve creatively.