Psychosomatics Of Skin Diseases And Representation Of Mental Space

Occupation: Leading researcher, Laboratory of psychology of abilities and mental resources named after V.N. Druzhinin
Affiliation: Federal State-financed Establishment of Science, Institute of Psychology RAS
Address: Moscow, Moscow, Yaroslavskaya str., 13, Russia

Journal name

Psikhologicheskii zhurnal

Edition

Volume 43 Issue 4

Pages

48-58

Abstract

The concept of mental space and the role of the skin in differentiating its boundaries during ontogenesis are considered. Skin diseases (atopic dermatitis and psoriasis) are considered as psychosomatic manifestations of separation trauma, which correlate with two tendencies – “to fusion” and “to encapsulate”, respectively. The study involved 72 women aged 20–40 years, (30 healthy, 17 suffering from psoriasis and 25 atopic dermatitis). Using the “Spatial Self Questionnaire” technique, three types of spatial Ego boundaries are determined: bodily, social and symbolic. It is proved that different experimental groups have a different profile of representations of the boundaries of the Ego compared to the control group. The body boundary of the Ego in the group “atopic dermatitis” is interpreted as super-permeable, and in the group “psoriasis” — as super-nonpermeable. In the “atopic dermatitis” group, the influence of separation trauma manifests itself in confusion when differentiating oneself from others (social boundaries of the Ego), and in the “psoriasis” group — in difficulties when correlating oneself with the outside world (symbolic boundary of the Ego).

Keywords

psychosomatic skin diseases (atopic dermatitis / psoriasis), symbiosis, separation trauma, mental space, boundaries of Ego, tendency to fusion/encapsulation

Publication date

15.09.2022

Number of characters

31945

Cite

GOST	Rebeko T. Psychosomatics Of Skin Diseases And Representation Of Mental Space // Psikhologicheskii zhurnal – 2022. – V. 43. – Issue 4 C. 48-58 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://psy.jes.su/S020595920021479-2-1 (circulation date: 20.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S020595920021479-2
MLA	Rebeko, T. "Psychosomatics Of Skin Diseases And Representation Of Mental Space." Psikhologicheskii zhurnal 43.4 (2022):48-58. DOI: 10.31857/S020595920021479-2
APA	Rebeko T. (2022). Psychosomatics Of Skin Diseases And Representation Of Mental Space. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal 43(4), pp.48-58 DOI: 10.31857/S020595920021479-2

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 3, views: 296

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Anz'e D. Ja-kozha. Moscow: ERGO, 2011 (In Russian).

2. Baleva M.V., Kornienko D.S., Schebetenko S.A. Prostranstvennoe Ja i cherty lichnosti: gendernye sravnenija/ Psihologija individual'nosti. Ed. V.D. Shadrikov. Moscow: Izd. dom GUVShJe, 2006. P. 72–75. (In Russian).

3. Brushlinskij A.V. Sub’ekt: myshlenie, uchenie, voobrazhenie. Izbrannye psihologicheskie trudy. Moscow–Voronezh, 1996 (In Russian).

4. Zinchenko V.P. Psihologija na kacheljah mezhdu dushoj i telom. Psihologija telesnosti. Mezhdu dushoj i telom. Eds V.P. Zinchenko, T.S. Levi. Moscow: AST, 2005. P. 10–52 (In Russian).

5. Kameneckaja E.V., Rebeko T.A. Reprezentacija telesnogo Ja i zashhita Jego pri narushenii pishhevogo povedenija. Jeksperimental'naja psihologija. 2015. V. 8. № 3. P. 118–128 (In Russian).

6. Lakoff Dzh., Dzhonson M. Metafory, kotorymi my zhivem. Moscow: Editorial URSS, 2004 (In Russian).

7. Lakoff Dzh. Zhenshhiny, ogon' i opasnye veshhi. Chto kategorii jazyka govorjat nam o myshlenii. Moscow: Slavjanskie jazyki, 1987 (In Russian).

8. Rishar Zh.-Fr. Mental'naja aktivnost'. Ponimanie, rassuzhdenie, nahozhdenie reshenij. Moscow: Izd-vo “Institut psihologii RAN”, 1998 (In Russian).

9. Rebeko T.A. Kozhnye zabolevanija i vtorichnyj simbioz. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal. 2020. V. 41. № 2. P. 69–79 (In Russian).

10. Rebeko T.A. Kozhnye zabolevanija i sposoby sovladanija (kopingi). Vestnik Kostromskogo universiteta. 2019. № 4. P. 118–125 (In Russian).

11. Ul'nik H. Kozha v psihoanalize. Moscow: Kogito-centr, 2017 (In Russian).

12. Kholodnaya M.A. Psihologija intellekta. Paradoksy issledovanija, 3-e izd., pererab. i dop. Moscow: Jurajt, 2019 (In Russian).

13. Schebetenko S.A., Baleva M.V., Kornienko D.S. Voprosnik prostranstvennogo Ja. Vestnik Permskogo gosudarstvennogo instituta iskusstva i kul'tury. 2006. V. 2. № 1. P. 75–87 (In Russian).

14. Anzieu A. L’hysterie: l’enveloppe d’excitation. Les enveloppes psychiques / Ed.D. Anzieu. Paris: Dunod, 2003. P. 43–73.

15. Berg J. ‘A Bad Moment with the Light’. No-Sex Couples: The Role of Autistic-Contiguous Anxieties. Couple and Family Psychoanalysis. 2012. V. 2. № 1. P. 33–48.

16. Bronstein C. On psychosomatics: The search for meaning. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis. 2011. № 92. P. 173–195.

17. Bergstein A. Bion and Meltzer’s expeditions into unmapped mental life. Beyond the Spectrum in Psychoanalysis. London-N.Y.: Routledge, 2019.

18. Cavalli A. From not knowing to knowing: on early infantile trauma involving separation // Transformation. Jung’s legacy and clinical work today. Eds. A.Cavalli, L. Hawkins, Stevens M. London–N.Y.: Routledge, 2014. P. 193–210.

19. Connolly A. Out of the body: embodiment and its vicissitudes. Journal of analytical psychology. 2013. V. 58. № 5. P. 636–656.

20. Feldman B. Creation a skin for imagination, reflection, and desire. Transformation. Jung’s legacy and clinical work today Eds. A. Cavalli, L. Hawkins, Stevens M. London–N.Y.: Routledge, 2014. P. 177–192.

21. Feldman B. The aesthetic and spiritual life of the infant: toward a Jungian view of infant development. Jungian Child Analysis. Eds. Punnett. A. Sheridan: Fisher King Enterprises, 2018. P. 43–60.

22. Fink K. From Symmetry to Asymmetry. International Journal of Psycho-Analalyse. 1989. V. 70. P. 481–489.

23. Jackson J., Nowers E. The skin in early object relations revisited. Surviving space. Papers on infant observation / Ed. Briggs A. London: Karnac, 2002. P. 208–239.

24. Jones Al.A. Starvation and “The Dead Baby”. Fort Da. 2017. V. 23. № 2. P. 41–65.

25. Houzel D. L’enveloppe psychique: concept et proprieties. Les enveloppes psychiques. Ed. D. Anzieu. Paris: Dunod, 2003. P. 43–73.

26. Lemma A. Under the skin. A psychoanalytic study of body modification. London–N.Y.: Routledge, 2010.

27. Lemma A. Psychoanalysis in times of technoculture: Some reflections on the fate of the body in virtual space. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis. 2015. V. 96. № 3. P. 569–582.

28. Lutenberg J.M. Mental void and the borderline patient. Resonance of suffering. Countertransference in Non-Neurotic structures. Ed. Green A. London: Karnac, 2007. P. 89–120.

29. Magagna J. Mrs Bick’s contribution in understanding of severe feeding difficulties and pervasive refusal. Surviving space. Papers on infant observation. Ed. Briggs A. London: Karnac, 2002. P. 135–156.

30. Maoz G, Arbit V. Returning to life. Trauma survivor’s quest for reintegration. Body, mind and healing after Jung. A space of Questions. Ed. R.A. Jones Jones. London–NY: Routledge, 2010. P. 14–40.

31. Romanyshyn R. The body in Psychotherapy. Contribution of Merlo-Ponty. Body, mind and healing after Jung. A space of Questions. Ed. R.A. Jones. London–NY: Routledge, 2010. P. 41–61.

32. Saban M. Staging the Self. Performance, individuation, and embodiment. Body, mind and healing after Jung. A space of Questions. Ed. R.A. Jones. London–NY: Routledge, 2010. P. 110–126.

33. Sandri R. Penser avec les bebes. Parcour, reflexions a partir de l’observation du bebe selon Esther Bick. Editions Cesura. Lyon, 1994.

34. Sidoli M. When the body gets lost in the body: Psychosomatic disturbances as a failure of transcended function. Journal of analytical Psychology. 1993. V. 38. № 2. P. 175–190.

35. Sidoli M. When the body speaks. The Archetypes in the Body. Hove, N.Y.: Brunner-Routledge, 2002.

36. Shuttleworth J. Psychoanalytic Theory and Infant Development. Closely Observed Infants. Eds. L. Miller, M. , Rustin M., Shuttleworth J. London: Duckworth, 2002. P. 22–51.

37. Sucharov M. Representation and the Intrapsychic. Cartesian Barriers to Empathic Contact. Psychoanalytic Inquiry. 2002. V. 22. № 5. P. 686–770.

38. Waddel M. Infancy: defenses against pain. Psychotic states in children. Eds. M. Rustin, M. Rhode, H. Dubinsky, A. Dubinsky. London, New York: Karnac, 1997. P. 45–59.

39. Waddell M. Inside lives. Psychoanalysis and the growth of the personality. London: Karnac, 2002.

40. Werbart A. The skin in the cadre of the soul: Didier Anzieu on the skin-ego, boundaries, and boundlessness. JAPA. 2020. V. 67. № 1. P. 37–58.