Berke differentiates "benign psychosis" from "malignant psychosis," which is an invasive, life-destructive phenomenon. Envy, greed, and jealousy are the aggressive forces that underlie malignant psychosis. The essential symbols of life—the breast, the womb, and the penis—are attacked by malign, psychotic aspects of the self, and both inner and outer realities become persecutory. Berke presents clinical examples of how these persecutory forces operate and how the destructive consequences can be opposed by life-affirming counterparts—gratitude, generosity, and compassion.