Sándor Ferenczi's contributions to the phenomenon of self-injury

Abstract

The phenomenon of self-injury, defined as the practice of injuring one’s own body free of suicidal intent, has become increasingly more frequent in public and private health services and is now considered an emblematic symptom of contemporary clinical practice. The present article features some contributions by psychoanalyst Sándor Ferenczi (1873-1933) to assess this phenomenon. His contributions are presented in two segments. The first one contains theoretical constructions related to psychoanalysis of sensations and surfaces, such as the mnemic system of the ego and the model of tics. The second one presents Ferenczi’s reflections on trauma, particularly on traumatic loneliness and of pain as an expression of revolt.

Key words:
Self-injury; psychoanalysis; pain; Ferenczi