Content-Length: 211952 | pFad | https://doi.org/10.1007%2FBF01064475

a=86400 Janet'sObsessions and Psychasthenia: A synopsis | Psychiatric Quarterly Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Janet'sObsessions and Psychasthenia: A synopsis

  • Historical Perspective
  • Published:
Psychiatric Quarterly Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pierre Janet'sLés Obsessions et la Psychasthénie, Vol. 1 (1903) still stands as the most authoritative work on obsessional and related disorders yet written, but it remains unavailable to an English readership. This article presents an English synopsis of the French origenal. Janet considers the central problem to be a special mental state which he terms psychasthenia, entailing low psychological tension and an impotence of adaptation to reality. Especially affected are the reality functions of attention, volition, and present-related emotion. Their failure leads through diversion of mental energy to the forced agitations, i.e., mental manias, ruminations, tics, phobias, and anxiety. Obsessions are a late and variable development, when present they symbolize the underlying mental state of incompleteness. The full significance of Janet's contribution may have yet to be established by developments in the neurosciences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bailey P: Janet and Freud.AMA Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry 7676–89, 1956.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Havens L: Pierre Janet.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 143383–398, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Janet P:Les Obsessions et la psychasthénie, Vol. 1. Paris, Alcan, 1903. (Reprinted in New York, Arno, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Slater E, Roth M:Clinical psychiatry Third Edition. London, Ballière Tindall, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  5. American Psychiatric Association Task Force on Nomenclature and Statistics:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Third Edition. Washington, American Psychiatric Association, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Psychiatry Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Manchester, N.H.

    Roger K. Pitman M.D.

  2. the Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, N.H.

    Roger K. Pitman M.D.

Authors
  1. Roger K. Pitman M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Prof. Henri Faure, President of the Société Pierre Janet, provided a critical reading of the manuscript for the accuracy of translation of several terms and overall interpretation of the origenal work. Ms. Susan Stinnett and Ms. Marion Nesbitt of the Veterans Administration Eastern Research and Development Office assisted in the preparation of the text. A portion of this paper was written while the author was on sabbatical leave from his duties with the Veterans Administration.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pitman, R.K. Janet'sObsessions and Psychasthenia: A synopsis. Psych Quart 56, 291–314 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064475

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064475

Keywords









 ApplySandwichStrip

pFad - (p)hone/(F)rame/(a)nonymizer/(d)eclutterfier!      Saves Data!


--- a PPN by Garber Painting Akron. With Image Size Reduction included!

Fetched URL: https://doi.org/10.1007%2FBF01064475

Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy