The group of schizophrenias as logopathies

Journal of Psychopathology 2016;22:55-61 Summary I propose a new dichotomy within these formerly called “endogenous” diseases, which bases on the phenomenological level of analysis: logopathies and tymopathies. The first would include all forms of schizophrenias, while the second correspond to the affective disorders and also to the great part of currently labelled anxiety disorders. In this contribution, the subject of logopathy is developed. This author tries to demonstrate the legitimacy of this conception, upon the basis of three fundamental arguments: 1. alteration of the thought/language as a nucleus of the schizophrenic suffering; 2. schizophrenia as a constitutive element of human condition; and 3. schizophrenia appears as a perturbation of Verstehen (understanding) in Heidegger’s sense. Understanding represents one of the two fundamental ways Dasein (human being) is in the world, while the other, Befindlichkeit (state-ofmind), is precisely what would be altered in tymopathy.