Le Sujet, Son Symptome, Son Histoire: Etudes Du Symptome Somatomorphe

Drawing from several clinical histories derived from their own daily practice, the authors, both of whom are neurologists, attempt to shed light on the complex nature of the “somatomorphic symptom” – one which, while taking the form of a body symptom, is not, however, associated with any lesion which could account for it. A product of the unconscious, in the same way as dreams or slips of the tongue, somatomorphic symptoms allegedly give rise to one-third of all inquiries made to doctors, who are usually ill-equipped to answer them. The main thrust of the latter’s intervention is to ascertain whether the complaint stems from an organic pathology.While taking into consideration recent advances in the neurosciences, the authors transpose into a clinical context concepts unveiled by Freud, and later by Lacan, in order to understand the constituent elements of this type of symptom, and its significance. Using this legacy as their point of departure, they urge doctors to pay close attention to the history related to them by their patients, and to be careful not to interpret it in their place. From this perspective, consideration of each subject’s utter uniqueness emerges as an ethical imperative which enables physicians to decipher the real meaning of the query made to them, and thus to provide the proper therapeutic support.