Lost in a Universe of No Inherent Meaning: Psychoanalysis and Existentialism

Abstract

Addressing the patient’s anxieties about the meaning of life and death as integral phenomena of the life cycle is not commonly discussed in the analytic literature. A central dilemma of analytic work is the effort to facilitate change in the life of a suffering patient while also bearing in mind the inescapable human destiny, i.e., the certainty of death. All too often, these factors remain in the background while dealing with other conflicts or misfortunes. The analyst, like the patient, is aware of the brevity of life and is susceptible to the same fate, and thus may feel defenseless, helpless, and limited in what can be offered. This article incorporates the existentialist thinking of Camus on the subject and illuminates it with analytic work with unspoken trauma of a second-generation Holocaust survivor.

Keywords:

• unspoken trauma
• death anxiety
• absurdism
• Holocaust
• second-generation

Notes

1 Intergenerational trauma—i.e., the transmission of historical oppression and its negative implications across generations—is supported by vast research (see, e.g., Dekel & Goldblatt [2008], and Fossion et al. [2003]) regarding the impact of trauma on the well-being and health of children (and sometimes even grandchildren) of Holocaust survivors, who are referred to as “second-generation survivors.”

2 Both revolt and rebellion are used in translations of Camus’s writings. This article will use the terms rebel/rebellion except when quoting directly from a source.

3 See Yadin, 2016, regarding analyzing the first name.

4 The word aliya (ascension), in this context, refers to the absorption of Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1948 into Mandatory Palestine, in violation of the restrictions imposed by the British regime. Aliyah Bet (bet is the second letter of Hebrew alphabet) is distinguished from the Aliyah Aleph (aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet), which refers to the limited Jewish immigration permitted by British authorities during the same period. The name Aliya Bet is also an acronym for the Hebrew “aliya bilty legalit,” meaning “illegal immigration.”

5 Eccles. 1:2. Ecclesiastes (Kohelet in Hebrew) is one of the canonical books of the Old Testament. Throughout this lyrical narrative, the author struggles with the reality of his transitory time on earth. His despair is epitomized in the iconic phrase, “Hevel havalim! hakol hevel!” Originally translated as “Vanity of vanities! … all is vanity,” newer Biblical translations render these verses in more contemporary language: “Meaningless! Meaningless! … Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” In Modern Hebrew, the word “hevel” refers to vapor that emerges from the mouth and evaporates quickly. Tami’s phrase is commonly used in Israeli slang to mean “nonsense.”

6 Her use of the image “engulfed in flames” might be understood as a Holocaust metaphor, reflecting her mother’s traumatic experience in Auschwitz that left the family destroyed.

7 Holocaust survivors unconsciously transmit to their children much of their own trauma, investing them with excruciating memories, so that they become “memorial candles” to family members who did not survive.

8 A colleague suggested that this may have been some kind of enactment on the part of the mother who likely dealt with starvation in Auschwitz.

9 See Yadin (2021a, 2021b), and Willock (2021) on the inner voice in dreams. Also see Yadin (2022) on the permeability between perceptions of “reality” to fantasy.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Zvi Steve Yadin

Zvi Steve Yadin, Ph.D., PMHNP, has a private practice in psychiatry, general medicine, and psychoanalysis in Long Island, N.Y. He also holds Doctorates in Clinical Psychology and Hebrew Literature and Post-Doctorate diploma in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. He was a clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at Stony Brook University, N.Y., and a professor at Adelphi University and Long Island University. He served as the chief psychologist and hostage negotiator for the Israeli National Police.