RELATION OF THE DELUSIONARY PROCESS IN GOETHE'S LILA TO ANALYTIC PSYCHOLOGY AND TO PSYCHODRAMA

Abstract

The making conscious of experiences, interpretation and understanding, of fantasy and psychotic images represents a necessary but not a satisfactory contribution to successful therapy. Psychoanalytic exposition and clarification of the world of images which emerge from the unconscious through the associa- tion and interpretation of words is not effective at deeply influencing states of depression or schizophrenia, particularly because the patient who suffers from emotional and psychotic conditions is unable to carry on a real dialogue in the treatment during which he may be required to remain in the horizontal position on the analyst's couch. Even the successful treatment of a neurosis through transference upon the therapist is more difficult, if not impossible, in the treatment of a psychosis. It is common experience that the mere talking about and interpretation of traumatic problems, as well as of dream and fan- tasy images, is hardly able to free the neurotic from his repressions, but is never able to assist the truly psychotic to overcome his distance from reality and his ego alienation. Upon this psychodrama, the method which emphasizes movement, gestures, action, free association through free action, transference to the therapist through cooperation with the entire group, self-control by means of spontaneity, substituting or completing analysis by creative play, has been founded.