The Study of a Problem of Aggression

Uncontrolled aggression was at first mainly an expression of the ego's loss of mastery of libidinal conflicts, and was used defensively in an infantile, destructive and controlling way. As the libidinal conflicts gradually came more under the control of the ego, and the conflicts around masturbation and the primal scene were analyzed, the aggression could be fused more with libidinally realistic activities, and contribute to the ego mastery of reality. The crucial trauma seems to have taken place around the uncontrolled, and seductive stimulations which took place in all phases of libidinal development, which led to a breakdown of ego mastery, and the release of aggression in temper tantra and other destructive ways, some of them self-destructive. Another source of the outbreaks of aggression was the interference with ego mastery in all phases of libidinal development, characterized by times of rigid control of oral, anal and genital behavior (Buxbaum, 1947). The resultant frustration

of libidinal gratification through overstimulation and rigid control brought the release of aggression in an uncontrolled way. It was also used defensively to control the dangerous environment, but not realistically. Hence the severe conflict with reality. Important sources of uncontrolled aggression were connected with difficulty in the mastery of oral and anal libido, and the analysis of earlier material connected with these then led to a more complete emergence of the oedipal material. This led to the uncovery and working through of fantasies around the primal scene in which loss of control and castration and violence played a prominent part. The aggressive acting out was thus a direct representation of the primal scene excitement as well as a defense against his homosexual excitement. In his fantasy of injury at conception lay the excitement which he felt he could not master, which had injured him psychically and emotionally.3 This may have represented the origin of his aggression, a reaction to the helpless excitement of witnessing the primal scene. As energy involved in his conflict became available to the ego for reality mastery in his social relationships, athletically and his school work, S. took a more and more responsible and masterful position, and was able to use his aggression for healthy narcissism and to deepen his object relationships. He was able to succeed in many areas, as well as to learn from failure. Whether he became strong enough to deal with the illness of his parents remains to be seen. I should think it would depend on the strength of the fusion of aggression and libido in developing and maintaining stable reality satisfactions and ego functions and the extent to which the unconscious conflict has come under the sway of the ego, guided by his own superego.