Handicaps of ChildhoodBruce, H. Addington (Henry Addington)
Science
Handicaps of Childhood
Bruce, H. Addington (Henry Addington)
Child development; Education
Contrast with this a third case: the case of a young Jew, robust and
alert-looking, a wagon driver by occupation, who applied to the Vanderbilt
Clinic in New York City to be treated for what he vaguely termed a
"nervous trouble." Referred to Doctor A. A. Brill, already mentioned as a
specialist in nervous disorders, he confessed that the malady for which he
sought relief was nothing more or less than bashfulness.
"It may seem strange to you," said he, "that a fellow like me should be
bashful, but I am so timid when with strangers that I scarcely know what
I am doing. I speak and act like a fool; my hands tremble; I trip over
things."
"Can you give any reason why you should feel so awkward and embarrassed?"
"Not the slightest. I often have tried to explain it to myself, but all to
no purpose. As far as I can tell, it is without a cause."
"Still, it must have a cause, and we will do our best to discover what
that is."
Step by step, in the course of several days' investigation by
psychoanalysis, Doctor Brill led the patient through the details of his
past life. In this way it was definitely ascertained that the bashfulness
of which he complained dated from his twelfth year. Delving among the
forgotten memories of that early period, Doctor Brill presently unearthed
one which the patient, the moment he recalled it, recognised as being
coincidental with the beginning of the excessive timidity that had brought
him such suffering.
It was the memory of a boyhood escapade that had at the time caused
unusual remorse, shame, and fear of discovery. He had fancied that
others could read in his eyes what he had done; he became afraid to
look at people or to have them look at him. Awkwardness, embarrassment,
bashfulness grew apace, and remained characteristic of him even after he
had forgotten all about the affair from which they sprang.
Thanks, however, to the recovery of this lost memory-image, and of other
subconscious reminiscences which had intensified the feeling of shame, it
was now possible for Doctor Brill to institute psychotherapeutic treatment
that eventually resulted in a cure. Incidentally, it also resulted in
materially improving the young man's position in life. Freed from his
bashfulness, he developed unexpected ambition, and eventually became the
owner of a well-paying business.
Similarly, boyhood weaknesses and failings, carrying with them profound
feelings of shame and apprehension, were found responsible for the
bashfulness experienced by Doctor Hartenberg's dish-washing patient and
Doctor Bechterew's visitor with the black spectacles.
Always, in truth, the story seems to be the same: there has been in the
chronically bashful man's early life some specific shock, fright, or
anxiety, which, provoking in a supersensitive mind feelings of extreme
embarrassment, has established a bashfulness that may not fully yield to
any method of treatment until the remote and usually forgotten cause is
recalled to remembrance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account