A irrupção da puberdade e a manifestação das neuroses: um percurso na obra freudiana

Abstract

This dissertation aims to grasp the shades of the concept of puberty throughout the Freudian work. It is possible to perceive that there is no differentiation between the terms adolescence and puberty, the latter being chosen as the object of Freuds analysis. We search to apprehend how puberty is seen in various theoretical moments, from the Pre-psychoanalytical studies (1893-1895) to the later writings (1939), focusing on its relation to the field of neuroses. We notice that in the early moments of psychoanalysis puberty was highlighted as relevant to the etiology of neuroses, whereas in the later stages of the psychoanalytical theory there is a displacement regarding the extension of its effects, which, from then on, circumscribe the realm of the manifestation of mental illness. In order to attain the aforementioned purposes, we use as methodological tool the analysis of Freuds clinical cases, more specifically those of Katherine, Emma, Dora, and the Young homosexual, insofar as they showcase different moments of the construction of the Freudian theory, which allows us to grasp the relevance of pubertys irruption, as well as its possibilities and troubles in the causation/manifestation of neuroses. We observe that Freud, despite dismissing the issue as a research focus, tangentiates it throughout his work, enabling us to infer and debate his conceptions on the subject.