Oedipus Complex

Oedipus Complex
Sunday May 07, 2006

Hello, this is A. I apologise in advance for the writing mistakes I may make (english is not my mother tongue).

I’ve been reading your books lately by advice of my therapist and one thing I’ve noticed is that you haven’t written (at least that I have read) much about Edipus Complex. You give us ways of overcoming the problems due to lack of respect, lack of love, etc. but I’ve never seen anything written on how to overcome Edipus Complex (after the age it was normal to overcome it (around 6 years I think)). So, what do you think about this matter? How would you advice someone who has not overcame it, to do so? Or do you think that it is another theory that protects the parents like most of Freud’s?

Also, there is another thing related to this that I wanted to ask. My therapist has told me that she has treated many drug-addicted (I don´t know if this is the right translation, I hope you understand what I mean) that were still searching, uncousciously of course, for their mother breasts. You normally explain this with other reasons. What would you say to this then?

Sincerely

A

AM: Yes, you got it! In my opinion the Oedipus Complex was one of the ways Freud has chosen to avoid confronting the whole tragic truth of child mistreatment. On my site (page “articles”) you will find an excellent essay by Thomas Gruner on this topic. If you can read more you will find my own position with many details in my book “Thou Shalt Not Be Aware” , FSG, New York.
You are also right when you suppose that I understand the drug-addiction in a much wider context than “the mother’s breast”. You can read about in my last book “The Body Never Lies”, especially the chapter on drugs.