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Suicide and Its Discontents: 'Essential Aloneness'.

  • Published In: Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis / Revue Canadienne de Psychanalyse, 2025, v. 33, n. 2. P. 205 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Leonoff, Arthur 3 of 3

Abstract

The author explores the genesis of a particular form of longstanding suicidality, finding its roots at the beginning of life. Following Winnicott's theory of "essential aloneness" as a pre-object relational state associated with a primal state of peaceful quiescence, it is proposed that some suicidal subjects may lack this developmental capacity in part or in full. They can find no sanctuary from psychic pain. It is primitive agony without respite for which "unaliveness" is deemed a triumph over suffering. One finds a regressive wish to recover essential aloneness and not necessarily a wish to permanently end one's life. The short but well-chronicled life and death by suicide of poet Sylvia Plath, as well as a clinical case example, are both discussed in support of this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis / Revue Canadienne de Psychanalyse. 2025/09, Vol. 33, Issue 2, p205
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:1195-3330
  • Accession Number:189489054
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis / Revue Canadienne de Psychanalyse is the property of Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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