Desiring What One Does Not Want, Wanting What One Does Not Desire

This article presents excerpts from an upcoming book from the publisher Le Martin-Pêcheur, on the subject of adolescence today. The two authors wonder what underlies the addictive sexual behavior of a teenage girl. They are careful to differentiate between what arises due to her submission to collective conditioning, and what is the result of her unique personal history. They strive to show the paradoxical richness of the many ways of approaching the ungraspable element of desire: in her very extremes, this young woman seems to represent the complexity confronting young people today. In transference, the fantasy relationship, arousals, and needs for relief can gradually ripen, allowing an engaged and reciprocated relationship to replace them. But a successful outcome like this requires great implication and open-mindedness on the part of the analysts.