Irène Nigolian : Adolescence and the Psychosomatic

The theme of adolescence is approached in the light of classic psychosomatic theory, with some theoretical-clinical connections. Behavioral neuroses at this age seem to protect the soma, but paradoxically endanger the life of the subject, in symmetry with progressive diseases in the adult. Also, a deficiency in adolescent work has the potential to generate serious psychosomatic illnesses, either immediately or later on. The adolescent’s depression is the common denominator in most of these clinical situations; it entails a potential for object disinvestments and for the appearance of symptoms corresponding to essential depression as described by P. Marty. This paper questions the role of adolescence in the subject’s psychosomatic future.