Abstract

The essay introduces the core hypothesis of Giovanni Carlo Zapparoli, arguing that the psychotic disorder should be considered as an attempt of self-care of the person in order to defend himself from panic anxiety caused by the perception of the limit, that is unacceptable because related to the dependency of the need and the object of the need. Zapparoli suggests to the psychotherapist to make an alliance not only with the healthy parts of the patient but also with the psychotic ones through the sharing of a secret area. In this area, the expressions of specific needs, for instance omnipotence, can be accepted and constrained, in order to facilitate the reduction of the dangerous and incomprehensible symptomatology.