Friday 12 November 2010

Adam Phillips and personal excesses



     Some time ago, Adam Phillips, the psychotherapist and essayist wrote a newspaper article about human excesses, including those concerned with food, alcohol, other drugs, sex, love and religion. Approaching it from a psychoanalytic direction he arrived at a conclusion that ultimately our excessiveness is a mask for deep-seated insecurities, fears and frustration. 

     It occurred to me, when he proposed the idea that some of us are excessive in our relationships with others, and, that we may use these relationships to moderate our other excesses. Even if this proved to be so, I have not come to any conclusions as to whether this would be healthy. I suspect the answer may be, "It all depends....."
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