Stupidity in the analytic field: Vicissitudes of the detachment process in adolescence

Fanaticism: Reflections based on phenomena in the analytic field

The paper presents and discusses hypotheses related to the manifestation of fanatical aspects in the analytical field. Initially, fanaticism is discussed as a social phenomenon. In sequence, clinical facts are presented. The first hypothesis involves factors related to primitive symbioses that manifest themselves mainly in adolescence, through adherence to religions, ideologies and other social facts. Clinical vignettes of adult patients deepen the study of possible factors that contribute to fanatical behaviour. It is proposed that container/contained relationships experienced in childhood as insufficient and fraudulent, and defensive narcissistic organizations, articulated with early inculcations of fanatic configurations, originate fantasies which manifest themselves as fanaticism. Deficits in the symbolisation processes, resentment and transformation into hallucinosis, among others, are presented as clinical facts. The text ends with analogies between the delusions of the Schreber case and fanatical behaviour.