Examining Masochistic Personality Traits in Terms of Freud and Fairbairn's Theories

Abstract

Masochism is under the heading of sexual perversions in widely used diagnosis and classification systems such as DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and ICD (International Classification of Diseases). In the psychoanalytic literature, on the other hand, masochism is described more comprehensively with personality traits that work against itself. It is seen as a personality organization that is characterized by symptoms such as creating obstacles to oneself, triggering rejecting and aggressive behaviors in other people, making unfortunate decisions, not being able to enjoy themselves, wasting their own efforts, suffering, having intense feelings of guilt, punishing oneself, preparing the ground for failure. Although it is a common situation in psychotherapy, research on masochism is much less compared to other character organizations. Especially when the studies published in Turkey are reviewed, it is striking that there is almost no comprehensive compilation study or research on masochism. The aim of this article is to discuss the main symptoms, clinical presentation and developmental basis of masochism from a psychoanalytic perspective. First of all, a descriptive review of the characteristics of masochism was made, then Freud's death drive and repetition compulsion concepts and moral defense and split in Fairbairn's object relations model were used to explain the etiology of masochism. Finally, the psychotherapy process carried out with the case of Mr. A, who exhibits personality patterns that work against himself, is formulated using the theoretical approaches of Freud and Fairbairn.