Closing Up

15 - Closing Up

The Phenomenology of Catatonia

from Part IV - Depression, Schizophrenia, and Dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2020

Zeno Van Duppen and

Pascal Sienaert

Edited by

Christian Tewes and

Giovanni Stanghellini

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Christian Tewes: Affiliation:
Heidelberg University Hospital
Giovanni Stanghellini: Affiliation:
Chieti University

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Summary

Catatonia is a severe psychiatric syndrome, characterized by specific motor abnormalities such as immobility, mutism, staring, rigidity, or psychomotor agitation. Until recently, it was often thought of as a subtype of schizophrenia. Today it is recognized to occur with different medical and psychiatric illnesses, and possibly independently thereof. Catatonia has a remarkable high incidence in the clinical setting, and its clinical presentation is often impressive and thought-provoking. Despite decades of scientific inquiry, catatonia remains poorly understood. Surprisingly, phenomenological psychopathology has only devoted little attention to the phenomenon. In order to increase our understanding of catatonia, this article investigates its phenomenology, i.e., its subjective and intersubjective presentation. We present a clinical vignette and clarify its phenomenology with emphasis on fear, embodiment, and temporality. Indirectly, this investigation will shed a different light on how trauma can affect subjectivity, in both its embodied and temporal dimension.

Keywords

Selfhood Numerical Identity Qualitative Identity Body Memory Dementia Phenomenal Continuity Expressivity

Type: Chapter
Information: Time and Body
Phenomenological and Psychopathological Approaches
, pp. 346 - 362

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108776660 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2020

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15 - Closing Up

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