The Power of Sexual SurrenderRobinson, Marie Nyswander
Science
The Power of Sexual Surrender
Robinson, Marie Nyswander
Frigidity (Psychology); Sex (Psychology); Women -- Sexual behavior
Molly’s relationship with the young doctor did not prosper, but in the
course of our work she finally did meet and marry a very fine man.
On the basis of insights she had had, she had decided to postpone
intercourse with him until after the marriage. When the love-making
began she at first responded sexually, but in a matter of a few weeks
she became quite frigid.
This reaction of course represented, as in the case of the intern, her
lifelong fear. However, since she had faced up to her psychological
frigidity, had stopped running away into pointless and meaningless
relationships, the resolution of this problem was merely a matter of
time, of “working through” the guilt feelings she had never dared to
face before.
* * * * *
The form of psychic frigidity represented by Molly’s case has always,
in my experience, been caused by a childhood seduction. The seduction
usually takes place between the fourth and seventh year, and the child
reacts to the experience with strong sensual pleasure accompanied by
guilt. This guilt is handled by a withdrawal from the parents and from
values they represent. And sensual pleasure becomes an end in itself,
dissociated from friendly perduring relations with another person.
It must be furtive, indulged in with unlikely persons; acute anxiety
develops if there is any danger that it will lead to marriage.
The seduction need not be as complete or as direct as Molly’s. I
have had a case in which a single sight of grownups having sexual
intercourse has had the effect of a seduction on a child. In such a
case the pleasure reaction becomes associated with the early erotic
feelings toward the father. The suggestion in the child’s mind is that
her “evil” wishes can be granted if she will displace them onto another
person. In later years this becomes the model for sexual behavior;
sexual desire in the woman is too closely associated with the father
image, so the love object sought must be as different from the father
image as possible.
Sometimes “liberal” parents seduce their children quite unwittingly.
Not too long ago it became the practice among certain “liberated”
or intellectual families to indulge in a species of nudism within
the home. This practice was based on a misunderstanding of certain
contributions of modern psychology, mainly the concept of inhibition.
The parents wished to prevent their children from being inhibited or
prudish about the human body. Such parents made no difficulty about
parading around nude in front of sons and daughters of any age.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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