Perversion as a Sexualized Withdrawal

Abstract:

In this article I distinguish sexual perversion from other forms of pathological interpersonal relationships, as I did in my book The Sadomasochistic Perversion: The Entity and the Theories. In fact, it is one thing to talk about sadomasochistic interpersonal dynamics, and another to distinguish the character of sexual perversion. I will start from Freud's work "A Child is Being Beaten," which examines seven cases of children who all have masochistic fantasies that lead to sexual pleasure. I will discuss the reasons why the sadomasochistic perversion appears so early and often is maintained throughout life, preventing the development of an integral love relationship. In particular, I consider the masochistic perversion in patients who have had emotionally traumatizing experiences, who attack the vital self and have eroticized submission.