Pleasure seeking and the aspect of longing for an object in perversion. A neuropsychoanalytical perspective.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pleasure seeking and the aspect of longing for an object in perversion. A neuropsychoanalytical perspective.

AU - Berner, Wolfgang

AU - Briken, Peer

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - In modern psychiatric classifications the term paraphilia has replaced the term perversion by changing the scope of the definitions from avoided procreation to failures of relationship-aspects of sexuality. Contemporary psychoanalysts also seem less interested in pleasure seeking aspects, which were so important within original Freudian thought, and instead concentrate interpretation on hostility and the history of the representation of objects. This paper discusses the connection between distinct object representations in perversions and attachment theory and neurobiological representations. It will discuss the observation that the neglect of pleasure seeking in perversion often results in a failure to recognise the addiction-like aspects of perversion, which seem to be particularly relevant to modern psychiatric and psychological thinking. The SEEKING-system (Panksepp, 1998) is used to conceptualise a neurobiological basis for pleasure seeking. This SEEKING-system may be "hijacked" by rewards in different forms of addiction as well as in sexual obsessions. The polarity between "drive representation" and "object representation," as created by Freud (1933, 1940a), may correspond to the polarity identified in contemporary thinking between the addictive or compulsive characteristics of sexual gratification (drive representation) and the influence of early object representation on the later ability to integrate instinctual wishes into relationships (object representation).

AB - In modern psychiatric classifications the term paraphilia has replaced the term perversion by changing the scope of the definitions from avoided procreation to failures of relationship-aspects of sexuality. Contemporary psychoanalysts also seem less interested in pleasure seeking aspects, which were so important within original Freudian thought, and instead concentrate interpretation on hostility and the history of the representation of objects. This paper discusses the connection between distinct object representations in perversions and attachment theory and neurobiological representations. It will discuss the observation that the neglect of pleasure seeking in perversion often results in a failure to recognise the addiction-like aspects of perversion, which seem to be particularly relevant to modern psychiatric and psychological thinking. The SEEKING-system (Panksepp, 1998) is used to conceptualise a neurobiological basis for pleasure seeking. This SEEKING-system may be "hijacked" by rewards in different forms of addiction as well as in sexual obsessions. The polarity between "drive representation" and "object representation," as created by Freud (1933, 1940a), may correspond to the polarity identified in contemporary thinking between the addictive or compulsive characteristics of sexual gratification (drive representation) and the influence of early object representation on the later ability to integrate instinctual wishes into relationships (object representation).

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Drive

KW - Personality Development

KW - Object Attachment

KW - Sexual Behavior/psychology

KW - Behavior, Addictive/psychology

KW - Neuropsychiatry

KW - Paraphilias/psychology/therapy

KW - Pleasure

KW - Psychoanalysis/methods

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Drive

KW - Personality Development

KW - Object Attachment

KW - Sexual Behavior/psychology

KW - Behavior, Addictive/psychology

KW - Neuropsychiatry

KW - Paraphilias/psychology/therapy

KW - Pleasure

KW - Psychoanalysis/methods

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

VL - 66

SP - 129

EP - 150

JO - AM J PSYCHOTHER

JF - AM J PSYCHOTHER

SN - 0002-9564

IS - 2

M1 - 2

ER -