SE III p85-115 [Ûber die Berechtigung von der Neurasthenie Einen Bestimmten Symptomenkomplex als “Angstneurose” Abzutrennen]

Published bilingual at www.Freud2Lacan.com /Freud/Philosophy (46. On the Grounds for Detaching a Particular Syndrome from Neurasthenia under the description “Anxiety Neurosis” & A Reply to Criticisms of my Paper on Anxiety Neurosis)

Also published with this paper is A Reply to Criticisms of my Paper on Anxiety Neurosis [Zur Kritik der ‘Angstneurose’] : early May 1895 : Sigmund Freud

Citations

-SE III p107-108 & SE III p112 in Tracing Stages linked to Libido in Freud : 24th October 2017, edited 23rd January 2023 : Julia Evans, see this site /5 Other Authors A-Z (Evans)

Quote Evans : From P24 of Introduction to ‘The Complete Letters of Sigmund Freud to Wilhelm Fliess 1887-1904′ : 1950 : Ernst Kris – see www.LacanianWorks.org /5 Other Authors A-Z (Kris or Index of Other Authors’ texts) : P24 : The important discovery that the mechanism of angst (anxiety) neurosis lay “in the diversion of somatic sexual excitation from the psyche and the resultant abnormal utilization of that energy” was expressed by Freud in the formula: “Neurotic angst (anxiety) is transmuted sexual libido”. …

[Freud, Sigmund (1897b) ‘Abstracts of the Scientific Writings of Dr. Sigm. Freud 1877-1897′, SE III, pp. 227-43. : [p352] Quote from abstract XXXII ‘On the grounds for detaching a particular syndrome from neurasthenia under the description “angst (anxiety) neurosis”.’ : An attempt to arrive at a theory of angst (anxiety) neurosis leads to a formula to the effect that its mechanism lies in the deflection of somatic sexual excitation from the psychical field and a consequent abnormal employment of that excitation. Neurotic angst (anxiety) is transformed sexual libido.

A more recent James Strachey translation from Section III, Towards a Theory of Angst Neurosis [Ansätz zu einer Theorie der Angstneurose] : SE III p107-108, From all these indications-that we have to do with an accumulation of excitation; that the angst (anxiety) which probably corresponds to this accumulated excitation is of somatic origin, so that what is being accumulated is a somatic excitation; and, further, that this somatic excitation is of a sexual nature and that a decrease of psychical participation in the sexual processes goes along with it-all these indications, I say, incline us to expect that the mechanism of angst neurosis [anxiety-Angstneurose] is to be looked for in a deflection of somatic sexual excitation from the psychical sphere, and in a consequent employment of that excitation.] …

(p24 cont.) This idea was mentioned only briefly in the ‘Studies on Hysteria’, which were published later, but had important consequences for the history of psycho-analysis. Until the theory of anxiety was revised by the publication in 1926 of ‘Inhibitions, Symptoms and Anxiety’, the “toxicological” theory, which regarded anxiety as the result of dammed-up libido, held the field. This revision simultaneously revived another important idea which Freud had had in the early nineties;[* below] the idea of putting the function of defence in the centre of the theory of the neurosis. After an interval of more than thirty years part of the psycho-analytic ego-psychology was based on this concept of defence.

* In “On the Grounds for Detaching a Particular Syndrome from Neurasthenia under the Description ‘Anxiety Neurosis’ ” (1895b) Freud unquestionably pointed the way to this revision. “‘The psyche develops the affect of anxiety when it feels itself incapable of dealing (by an adequate reaction) with a task danger : approaching it externally”, he wrote. – Sigmund Freud : 1895 : Grounds for Detaching a Particular Syndrome from Neurasthenia under the Description “Anxiety Neurosis’ ‘ ‘, p107.

James Strachey’s translation, SE III p112. Section III, Towards a Theory of Angst (Anxiety) Neurosis [Ansätz zu einer Theorie der Angstneurose], The psyche finds itself in the affect of angst (anxiety-angst) if it feels unable to deal by appropriate reaction with a task (a danger) approaching from outside; it finds itself in* the neurosis of angst [anxiety-die Neurose der Angst] if it notices that it is unable to even out the (sexual) excitation originating from within-that is to say, it behaves as though it were projecting that excitation outwards. The affect and its corresponding neurosis are firmly related to each other. The first is a reaction to an exogenous excitation, the second a reaction to the analogous endogenous one. The affect is a state which passes rapidly, the neurosis is a chronic one; because, while exogenous excitation operates with a single impact, the endogenous excitation operates as a constant force.[1] In the neurosis, the nervous system is reacting against a source of excitation which is internal, whereas in the corresponding affect it is reacting against an analogous source of excitation which is external.

* JE notes, this preposition ‘in’ which is highlighted, indicates position, on the inside of the neurosis. Prepositions indicating position have been highlighted in the EC translation of 20th March 1957 Seminar IV and by Ben Hooson’s translator’s note at the front of his translation of Seminar IX. (See Seminar IX Identification (1961-1962) : from 15th November 1961 : Jacques Lacan at this site /4 Jacques Lacan (19611115)

[Footnote 1] James Strachey states, Freud stated this again twenty years later in almost identical words, except that instead of ‘exogenous excitation’ and ‘endogenous excitation’ he spoke of ‘stimulus’ and ‘drive (instinct)’. See the metapsychological paper on ‘Drives and their Vicissitudes’ (1915c), SE XIV p118. (See this site /3 Sigmund Freud (19150101 or Index of Sigmund Freud’s texts)

***

– On the origin of the Other and the post-traumatic object : 6th November 2004 (Lyon) : Éric Laurent, see this site /5 Other Authors A-Z (Laurent or Index of Other Authors’ texts)

P99 Laurent : in 1895, Freud understood neurosis and the syndrome of traumatic repetition as being bound together … :

Possibly Point 2 Angsty (Anxious) Expectation [Die ängstliche Erwartung], Part (I) Clinical Symptomatology, of Freud, 1895b. : SE III p92 : Angsty (Anxious) expectation is the nuclear symptom of the neurosis. It openly reveals, too, a portion of the theory of the neurosis. We may perhaps say that here a quantum of angst (anxiety) in a freely floating state is present, which, where there is expectation, controls the choice of ideas and is always ready to link itself with any suitable ideational content.

P99 Laurent : In his (Freud’s) description of angst (anxiety) hysteria he mentions night waking followed by a syndrome of repetition and nightmares. [3] : Footnote 3. The pavor nocturnus of adults that Freud outlines in Point 5, Part (I) Clinical Symptomatology, of Freud, 1895b. : On the Grounds for Detaching a Particular Syndrome from Neurasthenia under the Description “Anxiety Neurosis” : 1895 : Sigmund Freud :

SE III p95 : (5) Waking up at night in a fright [Aufschrecken] (the pavor nocturnus of adults), which is usually combined with angst (anxiety), dyspnoea, sweating and so on, is very often nothing else than a variant of the angst (anxiety) attack. This disturbance is the determinant of a second form of sleeplessness within the field of angst (anxiety) neurosis. I have become convinced, moreover, that the pavor nocturnus of children, too, exhibits a form which belongs to angst (anxiety) neurosis. The streak of hysteria about it, the linking of the angst (anxiety) with the reproduction of an appropriate experience or a dream, causes the pavor nocturnus of children to appear as something special. But the pavor can also emerge in a pure form, without any dream or recurring hallucinations.

***

Quoted in Strachey’s Footnote 1, p441 PFL Vol 2 of Lecture XXV The Angst [Die Angst] : 1917 : Sigmund Freud, see this site /3 Sigmund Freud (19170101)

James Strachey writes ‘Freud’s first major discussion of this subject was in a paper on Anxiety Neurosis (1895b) [Grounds for Detaching a Particular Syndrome from Neurasthenia under the Description “Angst (Anxiety) Neurosis” : June 1894 [1895b] : Sigmund Freud, SE III, this post]and his last Inhibitions, Symptoms & Angst (Anxiety) (1926d) [See this site /4 Sigmund Freud (19260101 or Index of Sigmund Freud’s texts]. Although, as he indicates in his Preface (p35 f. PFL or notes on Lecture XXV), the present lecture (Lecture XXV (25) The Angst [Die Angst] : 1917 : Sigmund Freud, see /3 Sigmund Freud (19170101)) was his most complete treatment of the problem of anxiety at the time of its delivery, his views were later revised in some important respects. For a statement of his final position, see Lecture 32 [Lecture XXXII – Angst and Life Drives : June 1932 [1933] : Sigmund Freud, see this site /3 Sigmund Freud (19320630)] of his New Introductory Lectures (1933a). [See New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis : May to August 1932 (1933) : Sigmund Freud at this site /3 Sigmund Freud (19320501). ]’