In the psychoanalytic literature the question of abstinence has usually appeared as a topic for debate in the context of some suggested modification in technique. These discussions of abstinence often have been in the service of defending a point of view and rarely have entailed an examination of the question of abstinence in its own right.

Psychoanalysis involves many frustrations along with many gratifications. Some of these are inevitable, some accidental and some are purposive. The principle of abstinence is re-examined in the context of an interactive psychoanalytic process and is re-formulated as the guideline for