Psychoanalysis of Jonah Сomplex

This paper presents a psychoanalytic perspective on the Jonah complex. The aim is to explore the nature of unconscious resistance to the realization of inherent human potential through the lens of psychoanalytic concepts. The first part of the paper is devoted to theoretical research. Initially, the author examines the Jonah complex in the context of humanistic and existential psychology. Then, psychoanalytic concepts that most closely align with the dynamics of the Jonah complex and explain its causes are presented. As a result of this theoretical investigation, the author proposes conceptualizing the Jonah complex as an inhibition arising in professional and creative fields due to the activation of unconscious conflicts. The second part of the paper is dedicated to empirical research on the Jonah complex. Here, the author conducts a psychoanalytic interpretation of the biblical myth of the prophet Jonah as an illustration of unconscious avoidance of realizing inherent potential. Additionally, clinical cases from the author's practice, in which the Jonah complex manifested, are presented, discussed, and interpreted based on the theoretical material from the first part. The research concludes that the manifestations of resistance to realizing inherent potential may be rooted in unconscious conflicts related to the oral, anal, and phallic stages of psychosexual development.