A IMPORTÂNCIA DA ELABORAÇÃO DO LUTO NA VIDA DO INDIVÍDUO E AS CONTRIBUIÇÕES DO MANEJO PSICANALÍTICO

Abstract

This article examines the process of grief elaboration and the consequences when it does not unfold adequately, taking as its object of study the trajectory of Holly Kennedy, the protagonist of the literary work P.S. I Love You, by Cecelia Ahern (2004). In contemporary Western society, marked by the constant demand for high performance and productivity, grief tends to be ignored or rushed, which can lead to prolonged suffering, emotional distress, and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. Although each individual experiences grief in a subjective way, it remains a universal human experience that requires time and psychic work to be lived through in a healthy manner. With this in mind, the study aims to highlight the contributions of psychoanalytic clinical management in this process. The methodology is qualitative and descriptive, grounded in a bibliographic review of psychoanalytic literature and the analysis of literary material through a case study approach. The study sought to examine how the psychoanalytic approach contributes to the clinical management of grief, focusing on the processes of libidinal disinvestment, the working-through of conflicting thoughts that emerge in the face of loss, and symbolic reorganization in the presence of absence. The psychoanalytic reading reveals that the letters left by Gerry function as a symbolic mediator of Holly's grief, articulating concepts such as libidinal disinvestment and ambivalence. The case illustrates psychic mechanisms described by Psychoanalysis, and highlights something of great importance: the elaboration of grief requires time, symbolization, and a space of direction for the mourning process to reach its conclusion.