ABSTRACT
W. R. Bion stresses the fact that the dreamwork α which becomes “ α-function” serves to store emotional experiences in a communicable form. Bion continues with a description, of the way in which dream-work-α functions as part of a process of mental assimilation. The theories of mental structure are used as points of reference and touchstones when work with mentally disturbed people, to be able to “get an idea” of the degree and type of disturbance they suffer from, of the evolution of this, of its history. They are useful on a more personal level of introspection with regard to our own mental health. The kind of conceptualisation of the mind raises problems concerning two pillars of S. Freudian theorisation, repression and regression. The analyst who maintained that he was dealing with the regression of a patient concentrated his own attention on “past” characteristics of the present situation.
