LACNIAN PSYCHOANALYSIS

Diagnosis in Lacanian Psychoanalysis

Table of Contents

Introduction2

Discussion3

Categories of Diagnosis3

References9

Diagnosis with Lacanian Psychoanalysis

Introduction

Psychoanalysis refers to a systematic application of theory and therapy of Psychological methods to treat mental disorders in patients. This is often achieved through interaction with the patient, going to a level of sub consciousness that allows them to rehearse whatever conflicting or repressed elements are causing them to put their life on hold.

It is a well known fact that Freud shaped the twentieth century in terms of innovation and contribution to the field of Psychology, but the next name on the list is Jacques Lacan, who proclaimed to be a devout Freudian himself. Lacan did wonders for the field of neuroscience as he believed that the unconscious mind is vital to understanding human psychology. He believed that it uses several variants of the native language, and indirectly relates the pent-up desires that patients would not vow to in a conscious state. Lacanian psychoanalysis goes beyond psychology, but does not embed its alternative account of subjectivity in political-economic processes in order to connect the clinic with society. Lacan's diagnostic heuristic approach dictates that mental illnesses cannot be described as a conflict between the ego and the identity, but the subject's method of dealing with the condition of pursuing their innermost desires (Parker, 2010, p.66-67).

Jacques Lacan created the theory of the three orders,1. The imaginary,2. the symbolic and,3. the real.

The imaginary is made up of images in mind, as well as deception. Illusionary tactics in the imaginary order are synthesis, duality, semblance and autonomy. According to Lacan's famous “Mirror Stage”, the ego and the reflected image signify that the imaginary order itself has been alienated. The symbolic stage is not so narcissistic in nature, as it dictates that the order of Law and Structure are directly relating to language, hence the symbolic order is a linguistic extension of this. It does not make up the whole of language, as it includes the imaginary and real while considering being the domain of culture, as opposed to the imaginary order of nature. The Real is a state of being absolute, a true being in itself. However, it is not synonymous with reality. It stands apart from both the imaginary and the symbolic orders and is independent of language.

Discussion

Categories of Diagnosis

The Mirror Stage: Lacan laid out the distinct mantra of the human as a decentralized species. He claims that among young children of ages ranging from 6 to 18 months, there is a clear recognition of self as a mirror image. Children start to discover an identity that is at once unified and a separate being, which is not an organic development that can be traced back to inner wealth that a child has. This implication is being made through interaction and being further acknowledged in Lacan's essay “Aggressivity and Psychoanalysis”. He states that it remains a permanent possibility for the human species to speak and think for themselves in the second or third person, as “Ego” is the base of this artificial projection of subjective unity, modeled on visual images of objects that an ...