Lechat illustrates by several examples from his analytic practice the effect of two severe and similar traumata during the patient's early life in producing anxious expectation of a third similar event. This anxious expectation results in a

neurotic symptom. The second event re-enforces the first and the patient becomes convinced that there is no other possibility for the future. He then develops anxiety in any situation that might lead to a repetition of the traumatic situation. The patient may have a neurotic wish to retain the anxiety because it protects him against repetition of the trauma.