#psychoanalysis

• The state of being abandoned — A psychoanalytic and clinical concept designating the totality of internal feelings, affective complexes, and structural personality changes installed in an individual as a direct consequence of early desertion. It refers not merely to the external act, but to the internal psychic reality internalized by the patient, defined by a constant vulnerability to rejection.
• Abantiades — A Greek mythological patronymic used to denote the descendants of King Abas of Argos, the most famous being Perseus. In the history of medicine, psychoanalysis, and cultural anthropology, the figure of Perseus (Abantiades) and the Medusa myth are studied in connection with the 'Medusa complex' (the symbolism of psychic paralysis caused by fear or trauma) and the apotropaic use of the Gorgon's blood as a dual poisonous or curative remedy.
• Abas — A legendary king of Argos in Greek mythology, grandfather of Perseus, renowned for his sacred shield endowed with magical powers capable of paralyzing enemies. In the history of medicine, psychoanalysis, and anthropology, the figure of Abas and his dynastic lineage are analyzed in connection with archetypes of somatized fear, where the mythical gaze or shield serves as a metaphor for psychic defense mechanisms inducing motor blocks or hysterical conversion crises.
• Abelard complex — A cultural and clinical eponym derived from the medieval philosopher Peter Abelard, used in the history of psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and sexology (the Abelard complex or syndrome). The term denotes a specific type of neuro-psychic structure or castration complex, characterized by the forced sublimation of sexual impulses into rigid intellectual or mystic achievements following severe somatic or psychic trauma. It also analyzes the dynamics of obsessive interdependence in couples with symmetrical intellectual fixations.
• Abeona developmental archetype — A mythological and cultural eponym transposed into developmental psychology and pediatric psychoanalysis (the Abeona complex, syndrome, or archetype). The concept denotes the protective maternal instinct of guiding and facilitating a child's first independent steps outside the secure family space. In the semiology of attachment, pathological manifestations of the Abeona type refer to severe parental separation anxiety (neurotic overprotection) that blocks the infant's motor and cognitive autonomy development.
• Absalom — A masculine proper name of Hebrew origin (Avshalom, meaning 'father of peace'), borne by the third son of King David, famous for his exceptional physical beauty, his extremely long hair, and his tragic death (caught by his hair in the branches of an oak tree during a rebellion against his father). In early psychoanalytic semiology and metaphorical psychopathology, the name has been occasionally used to describe unresolved parental conflicts, destructive narcissistic pride, or the complex of violent rebellion against paternal authority.
• Abreaction — (Psychoanalysis) A liberating emotional discharge whereby an individual releases the tension of a repressed psychic trauma by consciously reliving the original event and its associated affective states.
• Adler — A proper surname of Germanic origin (meaning 'eagle'); in academic contexts, the term refers primarily to Alfred Adler (1870-1937), a renowned Austrian medical doctor and psychiatrist, founder of the school of individual psychology, best known for introducing the concept of the 'inferiority complex' and studying birth order dynamics.
• Anaclitic — Leaning on or depending on the support, protection, or presence of another person; in psychoanalysis, it describes a libidinal or attachment object choice modeled after parental figures who provided nourishment and protection in infancy. In a broader clinical sense, the term refers to a state of profound emotional dependence, the sudden deprivation of which in infants or young children can lead to anaclitic depression, structurally manifested through apathy, social withdrawal, and developmental regression.
• To self-analyze — To subject one's own mental states, thoughts, behaviors, motivations, or feelings to a rigorous, lucid, and systematic analysis; to examine oneself psychologically to achieve better self-knowledge or to resolve inner conflicts.
• Autognosis — Profound, conscious, and systematic self-knowledge of one's own psychic states, mental processes, motivations, or behaviors; the result of a reflective introspective effort. In a clinical sense, it represents an individual's capacity to objectively evaluate their own personality and inner dynamics, serving as an essential indicator of emotional maturity and therapeutic success.
• Self-negation — The act of self-denying and its result; a structural or psychic process through which a subject, principle, or system negates its own validity, identity, or substance. In modern philosophical theories, it represents a crucial moment in the development of ideas, where internal contradiction becomes the engine of evolution, while clinically it is associated with severe emotional self-sabotage.
• Autoplastic — 1. Relating to autoplasty; a surgical graft or technique utilizing tissues harvested from another part of the same patient's body. 2. In psychoanalysis and clinical psychology, describing a structural adaptation modality wherein an individual attempts to cope with stress or internal conflicts by modifying their own personality, behavior, or mindset, instead of changing the external environment (alloplastic adaptation).