The Psychodynamics of ‘Deja Vu’

I should like to review some psychoanalytic opinions about déjà vu, refer to an earlier contribution I made to this theme, and supply two additional episodes, revealed by a patient, with further comment on psychodynamics.

Freud believed déjà vu entails an earlier unconscious perception moving into consciousness because of a current, similar impression.3 Later, he also regarded déjà vu as an attempt by the ego to accept something as belonging to it rather than to exclude it. In this respect he believed it was a counterpart of depersonalization and derealization.4 Fenichel regarded repression as having been completed in déjà vu, stating that the ego does not choose to be reminded of the repressed material. The experience of déjà vu is the result of being reminded contrary to its will.2

Marcovitz saw déjà vu as a desire for a second chance, with the wish “I will do better next time.” He was aware that Ferenczi connected this phenomenon with recent or distant dreams. He felt that the link with such dreams or with unconscious fantasies as noted by Freud and Ferenczi does not supply a special characteristic of déjà vu as he believes to be present. Marcovitz claimed, “The wish is for a repetition, for a second chance, so that the outcome may more closely correspond to a wish.”5

Arlow discussed déjà vu in detail with references to the literature, and several views and speculations emerged.1 I gained the impression from these writings and from the approach suggested by Marcovitz that there may be a tendency to cover déjà vu with one encompassing explanation instead of acknowledging variation in psychodynamics despite some similarities.

I reported déjà vu in a 38-year-old homosexual patient whose episodes dated back to childhood.6 It was discovered that these