Differentiating between Autism and Psychosis

The first main idea is the distinction between autism and psychosis based on their structuring mechanisms. Freud and Lacan both emphasize the importance of looking at the structural causality rather than symptomatic manifestations. Autism is characterized by a disturbance in drive functioning, which occurs earlier than in psychosis. Autistic language is based on signs rather than signifiers, leading to a different mode of access to language and linguistic objects. On the other hand, psychosis involves delusional formations as an attempt at stabilization. Understanding this structural distinction helps avoid misdiagnosis and guides appropriate treatment approaches.