Abstract
Freud first proposed the concept of secondary gain, which he described as ".. interpersonal or social advantage attained by the patient as a consequence of..illness" (Freud, 1917). This is to be differentiated from primary gain, an intrapsychic phenomenon by which anxiety is reduced through an unconscious defensive operation resulting in symptoms of a physical illness. Blindness or limb paralysis for which a medical etiology cannot be demonstrated are examples of symptoms of illness mediated by primary gain. Ultimately, the psychiatric diagnosis of "hysteria", a somatoform conversion disorder, may be made in these patients.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Handbook of Complex Occupational Disability Claims |
Subtitle of host publication | Early Risk Identification, Intervention, and Prevention |
Publisher | Springer US |
Pages | 421-441 |
Number of pages | 21 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780387501673 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Dec 2005 |