Quasi-Delusions: A Brief Communication

Every normal person, in fact, is only normal on the
average. His ego approximates to that of the psychotic in some part or other and to a greater or
lesser extent … (Freud, 1937, p. 235).

Quasi-delusions are one instance of psychotic-like manifestations in the 'normal'. This brief communication illustrates one instance of this one instance.

This rather masochistic young woman, in analysis for several years, was in mid-pregnancy. On this day she had arrived in the waiting room just as I opened the door to my office. She strode in past me with an unusual air of determination and proceeded to the couch:

I am really pissed. (silence) I have to go to the obstetrician after this session. Again I've forgotten to bring a fasting urine. I've forgotten it the past three times. I knew I would forget it. I don't want to talk about this. I'm going to change the subject. I was angry because I wanted to go to the bathroom before the session. But your door was open, there you were, and I was embarrassed. It doesn't really matter though—unless someone steps on my bladder.

(Analyst: the 'change of subject' sounds more like a continuation.)

I want to keep away from why I keep forgetting the urine sample. I am furious at his nurse. I know that test itself isn't important—I had a blood sugar done recently. She keeps talking about albumen. I always will forget. I guess I'm so angry because she gave me this short narrow medical bottle to bring a sample in. It's impossible—no one could urinate into that bottle—at least no woman could. I'm furious with her [these are the patient's emphases] and I'm damned if I am going to do it unless she gives me another kind of bottle. It's just impossible to use that little thing.

(Analyst: It sounds as if a few minutes of communication with the nurse could clear up the realistic part of the difficulty—is there some need to be angry with the nurse and keep the feeling that she has done something to you?)

The 'impossibility' of usin