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[[Obsessional neurosis]] was first developed as a diagnostic category by [[Sigmund Freud]] in 1894.
In doing so, [[Freud]] grouped together as one condition a series of [[symptom]]s which had been described long before but which had been linked with a variety of different diagnostic categories.<ref>Laplanche , Jean and Pontalis, Jean-Bertrand. ''The Language of Psycho-Analysis'', trans. Donald Nicholson-Smith, London: Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis, 1973 [1967. p.]: 281-2</ref>
These [[symptom]]s include obsessions (recurrent ideas), impulses to perform actions which seem absurd and/or abhorrent to the [[subject]], and "rituals" (compulsively repeated actions such as checking or washing).
===Example of Rat Man===
For example, in the case of one of [[Freud]]'s [[obsessional neurotic]] [[patient]]s, whom [[Freud]] nicknamed the [[Rat Man]], the [[patient]] had developed elaborate rituals which he performed to war off the [[fear]] of a terrible punishment being inflicted on his [[father]] or on his beloved.<ref>[[Freud|Freud, Sigmund]]. "[[Works of Sigmund Freud|Notes Upon a Case of Obsessional Neurosis]]," 1909d.[[SE]] X, 155</ref>
===Structure of Religion===
These rituals, both in their form and content, led [[Freud]] to draw parallels between the [[structure]] of [[obsessional neurosis]] and the [[structure]] of [[religion]], parallels which [[Lacan]] also notes.
===Sexual Position===
[[Lacan]] also draws attention to the way that the [[obsessional neurotic]]'s question about [[existence]] and [[death]] has consequences for his attitude to [[time]].
This attitude can be one of perpetual hesitation and procrastination while waiting for [[death]],<ref>{{E}} p.99</ref> or of considering oneself immortal because one is already [[dead]].<ref>{{S3}} p.180</ref>
===Guilt and Anal Eroticism===
Other features of [[obsessional neurosis]] which [[Lacan]] comments on are the sense of [[guilt]], and the close connection with anal eroticism.
In respect of the latter, [[Lacan]] remarks that the [[Obsessional neurosis|obsessional neurotic]] does not only transform his shit into gifts and his gifts into shit, but also transforms himself into shit.<ref>{{S8}} p.243</ref>
==See Also==
* [[Death]]
* [[Existence]]
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* [[Hysteria]]
* [[Neurosis]]
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* [[Religion]]
* [[Symptom]]
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* [[Structure]]
* [[Treatment]]
{{Also}}
