ABSTRACT

Children experience psychotic moments, particularly when they feel 'deserted'. A psychotic episode is a way of trying to preserve the existing fragile ego. The child decompensates in order to try to defuse the potential annihilation from a phantasized revengeful parent. Parents give stability and support to their children who are in a psychotic moment by holding them, and by avoiding arguments with them and attempts to impose logic or rationality. The child's limited flexibility and ineffective behavioural organization means that he or she is unable to figure out the best course of action. Planning, decision-making, goal setting—all parts of the ego's functions—are severely reduced, and behaviour deteriorates to a rigid expression of hostile impulses. Thinking, goal-setting and decision-making remain narrow because nothing has countered the phantasy of badness. Two characteristics of a psychoneurosis, particularly a compulsive one, are a paucity of decisions and limited flexibility.