[Dialectic and psychiatry].

Abstract

A definition of Dialectics is intended. Its evolution is furthered on--from its originating in the pre-Socratic philosophy up to its culminating with Hegel. Its importance is then postulated for a better understanding of vital history, of endogenous or functional psychoses, as well as classical personality types in their relation with fundamental psychopathological structures. As regards the former, it is the author's contention that dialectical thinking should allow vital history to be understood as the unfolding in time of a consciousness more and more split into increasingly tensioned contradictions until its resolution into either a failure (i.e. disease) or into a synthesis implying a step forward towards maturation, plenitude, or wisdom. As far as endogenous or functional psychoses are concerned, great psychoses could be seen as dialectical polarities, either in themselves (mania v. depression, Crow's Type I v. Type II), or as a group facing another group (v.g. affective diseases v. schizophrenic diseases). What belongs to schizophrenia, and what belongs to depression appear as opposite poles both in previous personality, and the outbreaking situation, both in symptomatology, and evolution. Finally, Dialectics should also allow a conception of the highly classical personality types to be built, and ordered according to polarities (v.g. schizoid-depressive polarity, or hysterical-obsessive polarity) wherein each one may be seen as positive opposite the other one. Deviation towards one of the poles of such alternative need not be considered a deficiency but a dynamic displacement of existence against the opposite pole. A scheme of interrelationship among the aforementioned structures, and psychiatric syndromes likely to be more frequently found is proposed.