You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
I was very interested in Dr. Flarsheim's presentation, not only because his patient's psychopathology reminded me of similar cases which I have observed in recent years, but also on account of the many sociological and technical problems it raises. Drug-taking in young persons and particularly students, represents a challenge of its own, because it occurs in a sub-culture which tends to obscure the pre-existence of psychological disturbance, mostly through the pretension
that to smoke marijuana and to go on a “trip” is the done thing. Far too often young people who have approached the psychiatric services in a state of panic after taking LSD, are dismissed with the reassurance that all will be well. We are indebted to Dr. Flarsheim for reminding us that each case deserves careful investigation. The timing and manner of this patient's request for help are significant enough in themselves, but taking LSD was not only an expression of this girl's unconscious tendency to expose herself to danger, but also of her need to know once and for all whether she was insane. I have found this to be a frequent unconscious motivation behind the indiscriminate use of LSD. It could be assumed too that her longing for a good “trip” contained amongst other wishes, the one that sanity be restored to her. I think it would be fair to say that this girl is dependent on marijuana and therefore her psychopathology will fall into line with that of drug dependence.
Dr. Flarsheim describes very vividly the patient's ambivalence and uncertainty about the drug and her psychotherapy (see her identification with the “bad” psychotherapist) as well as her use of the drug in attacking and dealing with the persecutory introjects. However, our case materials seldom disclose in a convincing manner (and this case is no exception to the rule), why marijuana is so effective in relieving anxiety and why it helps people to “feel more.” Is it really because it facilitates integration in them or is it also be