ABSTRACT
The effect of dreaming on the formation of psycho-physiological sleep disorders is studied by an investigation of 26 patients and 15 control persons who were interviewed as to the occurrence of dream memory after spontaneous awaking and after being awaken systematically in the sleep laboratory. It turned out that the patients had less dream memory than the control persons after spontaneous awaking from REM sleep, but they did not differ after being awaken. In addition, dream reports after spontaneous awaking from REM sleep contained more abstract dream thoughts and less visible dream action. These findings are interpreted as a manifestation of disturbed "dream work" in patients with psychophysiological sleep disorders, i.e. disturbance of connecting thoughts and scenes from the unconscious. Thus, awaking in sleep disorder is interpreted to be a progression into awakeness as a matter of defense.
Subject(s)
Dreams , Psychophysiologic Disorders/psychology , Sleep Wake Disorders/psychology , Somatoform Disorders/psychology , Wakefulness , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Personality Assessment , Polysomnography , Psychoanalytic TherapyABSTRACT
According to the topographic theory and structural theory we find two explanations for the metapsychology of dream-generation. Both interpretations are complementary in some ways, but exclude in essential points. Consequences for the psychoanalytic theory of dreaming and the clinical practice are discussed.
Subject(s)
Dreams , Freudian Theory , Psychoanalytic Interpretation , Psychoanalytic Therapy , HumansABSTRACT
32 male and 16 female psychoanalysts (training analysts, lecturers, candidates) of a training institute were asked for their experience, referring to conscious arrangement of the therapy-room (furniture, pictures, distance between armchair and couch etc.) and the reaction of the patient on it. The evaluation of the very detailed questionnaire showed some statistically highly significant sex differences.
