Addiction to the Death Instinct? A Critical Review of Joseph's Paper‘Addiction to Near Death’

SUMMARY. Joseph's paper‘Addiction to Near Death’is critically examined from an alternative theoretical perspective. It is argued that the understandings derived from Kleinian theory led to an unintended collusion with the patient's pathological system as described in the case history. The clinical implications of the alternative position are briefly discussed and it is suggested that debate and empirical investigations are called for.