The Claustrum: An Investigation of Claustrophobic Phenomena

"It is impressive how much Meltzer extended and enriched Melanie Klein’s concepts in The Claustrum. He considers the claustrum-dweller’s projective identification into an internal object to be not “massive” (a quantitative concept), but rather, “intrusive” (a qualitative concept), hence its malignancy. He also discovered that not only the uterus, but also other spaces of the internal mother figure, are susceptible to becoming a “maternal claustrum”, each giving rise to distinct pathologies." – Rebeca Grinberg, training analyst and child analyst, Asociación Psicoanalitica de Madrid, IPA

"In this book Meltzer both develops and brings into direct clinical use the later aesthetic viewpoint of Bion, in a radical post-Kleinian and, I would say, systems-oriented understanding of severe personality disorders, more illuminating than life and death instincts at work. Meltzer shows that however dynamic a person’s life may seem to be, his inner world may be dominated by stagnant, narcissistic, closed systems with no vital interchange. No real commitment to others and no true relation to his inner self will then be permitted, and his inner life will eventually disintegrate if he does not change. In a clear-cut but not simplistic way Meltzer shows how to identify these patterns, and the omnipotence and claustrophobic fears that accompany them."– Lennart Ramberg, training analyst, Swedish Psychoanalytical Association, IPA and IFPS.

"Living unconsciously in head/breast-, genital- or anal compartments has severe psychopathological consequences. Meltzer’s investigations in these narcissistic worlds profoundly enlarge our understanding of schizophrenia, borderline states, perversions, addictions and claustrophobic phenomena." – Tomas Plaenkers, training analyst, Sigmund Freud Institut, Frankfurt