The Axiological Structure in Psychosis

Summary

Psychosis may arise from structural changes in how the self anchors its lifeworld, particularly a failure to build intersubjectivity and common sense. This failure involves the axiological (value) component of psychotic being-in-the-world. The chapter describes this value structure from a phenomenological perspective and compares it with other adaptive and pathological value functioning. Therapeutic possibilities for improving negative symptoms are considered, focusing on interventions that create a new existential situation or being-in-the-world, aiming for recovery as a personal process of clarifying attitudes, values, affectivity, and social skills.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In this chapter the value structure will be described as one of the essential existential foundations from a phenomenological perspective. Psychosis could be understood as the result of structural modifications of the self in anchoring the lifeworld. These modifications would mainly be due to failure in the construction of intersubjectivity and therefore of the common sense or basic intuitive tuning of the social world. This failure precisely involves the axiological component of psychotic being-in-the-world, so its description will be emphasized, along with its peculiarities and similarities to other ways of functioning of this axis of values, both adapted and pathological. This approach will be observed in terms of its therapeutic possibilities for the improvement and removal of the so-called negative symptoms. These are the warhorse for true recovery, understood as a personal and unique process for the clarification, development, adjustment of attitudes and values, affectivity and skills in social roles that can lead to a satisfactory and hopeful way of life. Those interventions that try to create a new existential situation or being-in-the-world will be described.