ABSTRACT
Among the difficulties encountered in analytic work, some appear in an acute form and may catch the analyst unawares. Critical states occur unforeseeably, unexpected somatic accidents, for instance. Psychical symptoms can also be a cause of concern for us. For instance, the deterioration of a depression that was initially concealed, but which becomes patent under the influence of circumstances that have since made the situation intolerable. The analyst then feels bound to recommend recourse to medication. In this case, it is better to ask a psychiatric colleague to make the prescription and to follow up the patient's treatment, but this may entail interrupting the analysis, and may even require the patient's hospitalization. The various hypotheses that the analyst proposes are not convincing for the patient.
