Psychoanalytic Insights into Eating Disorders: A Historical and Theoretical Exploration

Authors : Ayça Tezerişir, Sinem Baltacı, Tülin Gençöz

Pages : 54-61

Doi:10.18863/pgy.1564414

View : 428 | Download : 2649

Publication Date : 2026-03-31

Article Type : Review Paper

Abstract :This article thoroughly examines the psychoanalytic foundations of eating disorders, tracing their conceptual evolution from Freud’s early theories to contemporary relational approaches. Freud initially conceptualized eating disorders as manifestations of unconscious conflicts, interpreting behaviors such as food refusal as expressions of psychosexual struggles. The development of object relations theory shifted the analytic focus to the relational dynamics between mother and child, emphasizing the critical role of early interactions in emotional regulation and identity formation. Lacanian psychoanalysis further deepened this perspective by framing eating behaviors as symbolic acts shaped within linguistic and relational structures, particularly in the context of the triadic relationship between mother, child, and father. Modern approaches, including self-psychology, attachment theory, and intersubjectivity, have expanded this understanding by highlighting the roles of unmet self-object needs, disrupted attachment patterns, and intergenerational family dynamics in the persistence of eating disorders. These frameworks center the individual’s subjective experiences and relational contexts, offering a more nuanced understanding of the complex nature of eating disorders. The article underscores the importance of integrating psychoanalysis’s historical insights with modern relational theories to develop a comprehensive understanding of eating disorders and to design effective therapeutic interventions that address their symbolic, relational, and emotional dimensions.
Keywords : yeme bozuklukları, psikanalitik Kuram, yeme bozuklukları üzerine psikanalitik perspektifler

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL