Distinguishing between the Conscience and the Superego of Religious People in the Context of Treatment of Ecclesiogenic Neurosis

This article presents the clinical work with an ecclesiogenic neurosis and the difficulties encountered by the therapists working with very religious patients. In contrast to the few existing studies of this topic, the Author emphasizes the necessity to take into account the difference between the conscience and the superego, if the therapy is to be effective. The article focuses on the presentation of the theoretical assumptions for distinguishing between conscience and superego, not only from an interdisciplinary perspective (theology, philosophy and psychology), but also within the contemporary psychoanalysis. Clinical cases described in this article demonstrate effective and ineffective strategies of work with an ecclesiogenic neurosis in case of conflict between sexuological and theological norms. The article presents the phenomenological criteria allowing to distinguish between the conscience and the superego in a context of clinical work. The effective work with an ecclesiogenic neurosis is to be based not only on a distinction between the inner conflict and the system of defense against it and the structure of the image of God, but also on an understanding of the conflict between the conscience and the superego, and apply a more differentiated approach to the sense of guilt.