No: 11-12 / CHRONIC PAIN AND THE DESTINY OF SEXUALITY

  • CHRONIC PAIN AND THE DESTINY OF SEXUALITY

    Ayşe Elif Yavuz
    Summary :

    The objective of this study is to examine the association between fibromyalgia (FM) and the destiny of sexuality in women and possible psychic mechanisms of such association. Bodily symptoms such as ?chronic pain?, ?fatigue?, and ?sexual dysfunction? are revised both with the help of psychoanalytical and medical literature. The early object relations and its quality are emphasised as a possible psychic mechanism in the scene of the illness and in the destiny of sexuality. The discourse of the patients and the findings of the projective test (TAT) show insufficiency in object relations and lack of expressing the libidinal drives. Besides, the symptoms such as ?chronic pain? and ?fatigue? which are specific to fibromyalgia may outcome as a defense against sexuality. Further investigations and clinical research should be carried out in this field.

    Keywords : Fibromyalgia, Sexuality, Chronic Pain, Fatigue, The Early Object Relations, Psychoanalytic Theory.