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Although the phenomenon of chronic physical pain has been significantly addressed in cognitive-behavioral psychology, it appears that the psychoanalytic community has paid little attention to this dramatic phenomenon. A chronological review of Freud's texts as well as post-Freudian and contemporary analytic writings on physical pain suggest that the few attempts at considering the phenomenon of physical pain psychoanalytically
Dr. Gendrault has worked in both France and the United States in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain disorders. After ten years as a chiropractic provider, Dr. Gendrault turned to the mental health field and obtained his doctorate in clinical psychology. He specializes in the psychoanalytic treatment of physical illnesses and somatic disorders. He is currently a psychological assistant in San Francisco, California.
have been progressively eclipsed from the clinical forum. This review also suggests that psychoanalytic semantics and terminology pertaining to pain as well as theoretical formulations of physical pain phenomena are confusing. In particular, analytic formulations of physical pain are not as sophisticated as formulations commonly found in other clinical areas. It is hoped that this short introduction to a complex phenomenon will lead to further clinical as well as theoretical endeavors toward a psychoanalysis of chronic pain.