AGING, AGE, AND DEATH FROM PSYCHIATRIC PO INT-OF-VIEW

Ageing, age and death from the psychiatric point of view represent the experience of permanent deprivation. Biological, psychological and - above all - psychosocial impairments are felt as narcissistic insult a nd threat. There are typical ways of coping with such situations. A fr equent way of defence is reaction-formation. Losses are turned into th e contrary. Ageing persons overemphasize youthfulness, potency and fit ness. Depressive-regressive modes of Psychical Working Out are frequen tly present and they often cause problems in medical practice. The sub limative way to work things out may be considered as the most mature k ind of coping. Usually the latter will be based on metaphysical concep ts of survival. Another important point is the significance of psychoo rganic processes and alterations. They often accelerate to acknowledge and contemplate these mechanisms to understand the complex dynamics o f ageing in order to be able to treat them adequately.