Review article

ENTERING RETIREMENT – A NARCISSISTIC INJURY

Marija Petrovčić ; family medicine specialist, Specialist clinic for general/family medicine, Albaharijeva 4

Abstract

Patients focus on describing the current physical problem that is bothering them and are not open to elaborating their mental health problems, which are the basis of somatic difficulties. If a family physician, trained in a psychotherapeutic technique, suggests to patients to work on psychological aspects of their problem, they mainly expect emotional suport, empathic listening and very superficial analysis of their problems. Thus, after retirement, the
patient described in this case report has suddenly become convinced that he suffers from an unidentified health condition. Extensive knowledge of the patient and his family alerted the family physician that this was not a physical but a mental issue. The patient accepted
the offered supportive psychotherapeutic help and, at the beginning of the therapy, described with a lot of energy his life-long, highly specific job, his dedication to work, almost obsessive responding to work-related requests, and very conscientious fulfillment of obligations and
then the earthquake that retirement caused in his life. The author shows the course of supportive therapy in a family physician outpatient clinic.

Keywords

narcissistic vulnerability; retirement

Hrčak ID:

177404

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/177404

Publication date:

7.12.2016.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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