Summary
Experiences with seven manic patients are described, with an attempt to study how the therapist may have effected changes in the intensity of their manias. Important issues centered around rejection by the therapist, or fears of intimacy with him. The patients were extremely sensitive to implications that they were inferior, dependent, or childish. They required the therapist to maintain flexibility in his activity, and to respect their reasonable interests, such as helpfulness to other people or exhibitionistic pursuits.
Maintenance of a non-retaliatory and non-rejecting yet at times limit-setting, attitude was necessary, though the testing out of the therapist by the patients was severe.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fromm-Reichmann, F.: Intensive psychotherapy of manic-depressives. Confina Neurologica, IX, 1949.
Mann, J.; Menzer, D.; and Standish, C.: Psychotherapy of psychosis; some attitudes in the therapist influencing the course of treatment Psychiatry, XIII, 17–23, 1950.
Bibliography
Abraham, K.: Mania. In: Selected Papers. Hogarth Press. 1929.
Dooley, L.: A psychoanalytic study of manic-depressive psychoses. Psychoan. Rev., XIII; 38, 1921.
English, O. S.: Observations of trends in manic-depressive psychoses. Psychiatry, XII:125, 1949.
Fenchel, O.: Psychoanalytic Theory of the Neuroses. Pp. 4-7-411. Norton. 1945.
Freud, S.: Mourning and Melancholia. Coll. Papers, Vol. IV.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rintz, N.C., Rosen, I.M. Psychotherapy of manic-depressive patients in the manic phase. Psych Quar 26, 462–471 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568482
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568482