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The author describes the history and analysis of a patient whose character resembled that of the legendary Don Juan. The patient was a man in his late thirties with a presenting complaint of manic depressive episodes, and a history of alcoholism. He was very promiscuous sexually, having had many affairs with the wives of his close friends. With men, he was either grandiose and inconsiderate or childishly compliant. He valued people for their willingness to love him in spite of his provocations. Analysis showed his promiscuity to be an expression of an intense orally colored Oedipal attachment to his mother. It was also an attempt at denial of castration anxiety and feelings of inferiority. His bluster and his ingratiating behavior were attempts to cope with feelings of failure and defeat originally experienced at the hands of his father and older brother.
The author quotes Fenichel that the Oedipus complex of the Don Juan is 'dominated by the pregenital aim of incorporation, pervaded by narcissistic needs, and tinged with sadistic impulses. In other words, the striving for sexual satisfaction is still condensed with the striving for narcissistic supplies in order to maintain self-esteem.'