Irreversibility of disability: The violence of silence

Abstract This article delves into the complex case of Gabriel, 5-year-old boy with profound deafness. Despite having a cochlear implant, he remains unable to engage in spoken or sign language, exemplifying the resistance some deaf children exhibit towards attempts to correct their disability. Using a psychoanalytic case study approach grounded in Freudian and Kleinian theory, this study emphasises the significance of disability's irreversibility, differentiating it from illness, and highlights three crucial aspects: familial commitment, the concept of lack, and the question of origins. Gabriel's case is analysed through family dynamics, communication challenges, and identity formation, focusing on how deaf children navigate between signed and spoken languages. The psychoanalytic framework reveals unconscious dynamics of triangulation, pre-Oedipal functioning, and defensive organisation patterns. The conclusion underscores the role of theoretical frameworks in Gabriel's therapy, demonstrating their effectiveness in fostering his empathetic development and expressive abilities, while integrating his disability into his personal identity.