Freud's concept of a primary narcissism seems to offer a way of integrating analytic drive theory and ego psychology. All drive tension starts from a reservoir of primary narcissism and tends to return to it. Ultimately, satisfaction is sought from the self. With the development of ideal-self structures, the ideal objects, internalized on the basis of narcissistic strivings, enter into the core of the self. Discharge regulation is recognized as a tendency to close the gap between (marginal) internalizations of ideal-self and real self, i.e. a tendency to maintain a certain level of self-esteem and a sense of security. The subjective experience of time seems to be based on narcissistic tension. Mature object relations depend upon a well-balanced inner narcissistic field.