Balint traces the progression of Freud's theories of psychic trauma, particularly the change from trauma as an external event impinging on an unprepared organism, to trauma due to a fantasy produced by the individual himself, leading to powerful strains between parts of the psychic apparatus. He then proposes a three-stage theory of psychic trauma: 1, the child is involved in a dependent, trusting relationship to the adult; 2, the adult unexpectedly does something very exciting, frightening, or painful to the child (this need not be sexual, but something that causes intense overstimulation of the child, or profound rejection); and 3, the child again approaches the adult for further stimulation or for comfort while the adult denies the previous situation and acts as if it never happened. Our present theory focuses on Stage 2, but understanding of all three stages is necessary for a complete theory of psychic trauma.