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Einführung
(1994)
Editorial: Psychoanalysis and forensics – identifications with the oppressor and with the oppressed
(2009)
This paper presents the four-year forensic outpatient treatment of a male patient in his mid-30s who was diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder and had previously been held on unlimited detention due to several assaults. At the beginning, several coercive measures had to be taken. Over time, both the therapeutic alliance and the patient's psychic structure improved remarkably. The patient explained at the end of therapy that, despite being forced into treatment, he also felt recognized and held while he had been in deep distress. Several explanations of how coercion and the therapeutic process may correlate are discussed: essentially, the complex and dialectical relationships between inner and outer reality, therapeutic space, and social structures are reflected. Cautiously but consistently introducing outer reality as well as validating the patient's realistic perceptions contributed to strengthening his ego functions.
The Swiss member societies of the International Federation of Psychoanalytic Societies, namely the two existential analytic societies and the Institute of Psychoanalysis in Kreuzlingen, have always stressed the philosophical foundation of psychoanalysis as psychoanalytic approaches with severely disturbed and psychotic patients. The colleagues working in these institutes have often cooperated very closely with analysts from the International Psychoanalytical Association. This paper stresses the important contributions for inpatient psychoanalytic approaches.