Dialogues between Psychoanalysis and Historical-Cultural Psychology on mental illness: an integrative review

Abstract

Recent studies indicate a significant increase in psychological distress in contemporaneity; therefore,
it is essential to discuss and deepen dialogues on mental health, aiming for more humanized practices. In this context, interdisciplinary studies can provide broader understandings of the factors contributing to psychological suffering. Considering this, between the months of August and November 2022, researches on mental illness were sought, incorporating the theoretical frameworks of the Psychoanalysis and Cultural-Historical Psychology. The goal was to conduct an integrative review, mapping existing studies on the subject and proposing new avenues for investigation through the dialogue between these two theoretical foundations. A total of 21 studies were selected and categorized into three thematic groups: Historical-Dialectical Materialism and Psychoanalysis; Cultural-Historical Psychology and Psychoanalysis; and psychological distress in contemporary society. The analysis of the scientific literature reveals that, although Psychoanalysis and Cultural-Historical Psychology are
based on distinct premises, they converge in the understanding of the roots of suffering. The material conditions of individuals’ realities, shaped in contemporary times by neoliberal logic, create an environment conducive to psychological distress. The precarization of labor, the weakening of social bonds, and the culture of performance exacerbate emotional overload, ultimately intensifying the presence of symptoms. Thus, the dialogue between Psychoanalysis and Cultural-Historical Psychology fosters the development of more integrated analyses of psychological distress, considering multiple factors (social, cultural, historical, political, unconscious, and symbolic). Rather than blaming individuals for their conditions, this theoretical approach contributes to a critical perspective on adversity and the constructions of more humanized ways of existing.