The False Self as Explored in a Long-Term Psychoanalysis

The aim of this article is to provide psychodynamic understanding of a patient functioning with a seemingly pure form of a false self as it was gradually revealed in a 6-year psychoanalysis. This understanding will be contrasted with Winnicott's (1965) concept of the true and the false self.

A general hypothesis regarding the structure and functioning of the false self is derived from this patient. The term false self should be reserved for a manifest false self with deceptive relating that serves to simulate an integrated, real self and that serves to cover and hide a serious underlying personality disorder, typically ranging from a schizoid borderline personality disturbance to a narcissistic personality disorder.

The main emphasis is on delineating the false self; however, the case material lends itself to a study of the analytic process in a long-term analysis, especially the unfolding of transference paradigms in a primitive personality over an extended period of time. Notes were taken during the sessions and were studied retrospectively for the emergence of themes that explicated both the false-self dynamics and the evolving analytic process. The case material tended to fall into groups of eight to ten sessions that formed segments each with an emerging theme. There are 16 direct quotations from the patient that accurately capture the theme of each segment.

The material focuses almost entirely on themes derived from the analytic process and does not contain a history of the patient as such, partly to prevent identification of the patient, but also as a choice in the selection of how to present a long-term case study.