The clinical structure of phobia: Lacan's reformulation of the variables and its treatment.

Phobias have been understood and treated in many different ways by history, but mainstream have overlooked a possibly crucial modality in its treatment as proposed by Lacan. By viewing phobia as a symptom modern day treatments miss out why phobia may exist. Both Freud and Lacan see phobia as symptom and structure, but Lacan has gone further in order to provide the clinic with a deeper comprehension of what a phobia is and how it can be treated. By first understanding where the phobia stems from and realising its particular use the practitioner can produce the support needed to reduce the amount of anxiety experienced, as well as helping the patient to cope better in certain phobic situations. The DSM-IV & ICD 10 do not currently provide this as a treatment option, nor do they view phobia as anything more than a cluster of symptoms focused around anxiety. This thesis goes through modern, preferred treatment of what is known as phobia as well as its history of emergence in psychoanalysis through Freud, in order to formulate the key proposals put forward by Lacan – in texts which are as yet unpublished in English. This produces a number of proposals which are important in the understanding and treatment of phobia and anxiety disorders.

A thesis submitted to Middlesex University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (by research).