Page:Jung - The psychology of dementia praecox.djvu/89

Rh become awakened through fright from some thought-complex. Insomnia in many cases is due to uncontrollable complexes against which the energy of the auto-suggestion of sleep can no more be effective. If, however, by proper means we reinforce the energy of such persons they are again able to sleep, because they can restrain their complexes. But restraining the complex means nothing more than the withdrawal of the attention, that is, its distinctness. Hence in their thought the complexes depend only on a small fraction of distinctness and because of deficiency of discrimination they manifest themselves in rather vague and symbolic expressions and become mingled. A real censorship of dream-thoughts in the sense of Freud we need not admit. The inhibition emanating from the sleep-suggestion perfectly suffices to explain all. In conclusion we must mention another characteristic complex-effect, that is, the inclination to contrast-association. As was fully shown by Bleuler (see Chap. I) psychic activity tending towards an aim must be accompanied by contrasts. This is absolutely necessary for proper coordination and moderation. From experience we know that every decision is accompanied by the association of contrasts. Normally we are never impeded by contrasts, they only induce reflection and are useful for our actions. But if for any reason the energy is impaired, then the individual readily becomes the victim of an opposition between positive and negative, inasmuch as the feeling-tone of the decision suffices no more to overpower and restrain the contrasts. We see this very often wherever a strong complex absorbs the energy of the individual. The energy being diminished, the attention for everything not belonging to the complex becomes superficial, and the associations lack a firm course. As a result we get on the one hand shallow associations, and on the other the contrast can no longer be suppressed. Sufficient examples can be found in hysteria where one deals entirely with contrasting emotions (see Bleuler's works) and in dementia præcox where we deal with emotional and speech contrasts (see Pelletier's work). Stransky experimentally found speech contrasts in his forced talking.

A few general remarks will be made on the manner and course of the complex by way of addition to Chapters II and III.

Every emotional event becomes a complex. If it does not meet