ABSTRACT
An interpersonal understanding of psychosis was proposed by American psychiatrist Harry Stack Sullivan. Melanie Klein and her followers developed Freud's theory and practise, exerting a profound influence over psychoanalysis and the understanding of psychosis. The chapter considers the language that is associated with Freudian psychoanalysis. Jacques Lacan moved away from most recognisable routes leading from psychoanalysis in his pursuit of a language-related theory. In a paper 'Neurosis and Psychosis', Freud proposes that whereas neurosis originates in a conflict between the ego and the id, psychosis is the outcome of a disturbance in the 'relations between the ego and the external world'. With a person experiencing psychosis, the 'name of the father' is 'foreclosed' and not integrated into the symbolic order. Lacan draws on his previously developed terminology in discussing psychosis. Regarding psychosis, Lacan argues that prior to all symbolization, there is a stage at which a 'portion of symbolization' may not take place.
