Mortality and Finiteness

Abstract

Using Money‐Kyrle's concept of the facts of life, the author takes up the difficulty for a therapist in accepting his mortality and the finiteness of things. He reports two cases of once‐weekly psychotherapy during which he had to take a three‐month period of sick leave. In the first case, the patient created a timeless prison where the therapist and the patient were fused to avoid separation, which meant, to the patient, violent death. The author describes how his own acceptance of the fear of death helped them to face the patient's murderous hatred. The second case is of a patient with a huge and strong body who denied his own need and dependency. The therapist was at first unaware of being caught up in narcissistic competition with the patient. However, the realization that he was envious of the patient enabled him to accept his own weakness, which in turn helped the patient to show his vulnerability. Finally, the author argues that although it is human nature to deny death, we need to face death if we are to face life. He argues that there is perpetual oscillation between acceptance and denial of our mortality and the finiteness of things.