This is a discussion of Henry M. Seiden's (2009) article, "On the Longing for Home," in Psychoanalytic Psychology. The author presents the view that Seiden's main points, namely, that the idea of home is an important one for psychoanalytic theory and that it has been underrepresented in the literature, are correct. Home as the enclosure of primary object relations and the psychoanalytic significance of the enclosure per se are discussed. The author then raises questions about the ontological status of home and of ideas about origin in general. The question is posed regarding the extent to which they should be viewed as records of real experience as opposed to fictive constructions influenced by unconscious elaborations. © 2009 American Psychological Association.

unconscious fantasy vs. real experience home fiction

mental performance object relation personal experience psychoanalytic theory ego development home psychoanalysis Article euphoria human social behavior transference