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(1989). International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 70:461-479

Negative Hallucinations, Other Irretrievable Experiences and Two Functions of Consciousness

Linda Wimer Brakel

PURPOSE

In this paper I will explore three kinds of 'irretrievable experiences'. By 'irretrievable experiences' I mean those in which an event cannot be recalled or recaptured despite convincing demonstration that it took place. It is clear that in these cases something different from simple repression operates; for whether the demonstration occurs through interpretation or via direct evidence, no intact recollection following a lifting of repression is ever experienced.

This study of irretrievable experiences originated in attempts to understand the phenomenon of negative hallucination. After presenting four case examples which include psychodynamic explanations of the negative hallucinations therein, I will offer two different models for under-standing the mechanism of negative hallucination. Each model can be shown to be analogous in a significant way to negative hallucination. The first comes from Fisher's (1954), (1957), (1959), (1960) work on subliminal/preconsciou

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