Hey,
So, usually in psychiatry is seen as a subjective experience with no specific cause.
And it's half-truth, but as wise jews said: "half truth are worst than lies".
Psychiatry is starting to take into consideration some philosophical inquiries, like the subjective world, structuring of the self, how it affects certain psychological pathologies, like personality disorders, and so on.
Identity Disturbance, Feelings of Emptiness, and the Boundaries of the Schizophrenia Spectrum
Schizophrenia Bulletin, Volume 45, Issue 1, January 2019, Pages 106–113, https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbx183
Like this one shows, taking into admission some psychodinamic views (in 2018).
But, psychoanalysis is known for treating hardcore personality disorders, like NPD (Narcissistic P.D.), Schizoid P.D., Paranoid P.D., Histrionic P.D., Avoidant P.D. and so on.
So, the view on emptiness for psychoanalysis is usually a lack (in some cases it's the lack of the lack), that creates this whole hole, pun intended.
It's something that did not entered the symbolical world of the individual, circling around life, always present, touching a feeling, a possible relationship, something always in relation to the Other (in a symbolical view, representing any person who the individual has what is called transference, which is something related to Rapport in cognitive-therapy, but better.
This lack is not elaborated, it's not symbolized in words, it's not articulated by the individual, he cannot articulate that lack with some defense mechanism (there is a bunch), like sublimation, which is transforming some kind of negative aspect of yourself in something in the opposite direction (in short), like painting, writing, or becoming a priest because you have pedophilic desires (reaction formation).
This lack is caused by traumas (even if lived only by the individual, in fantasy), that are made before thought and the formation of a healthy structured psych to deal with the world.
Some patients during psychotherapy (psychodinamic therapy, mostly psychoanalysis), can return to that feeling, to that sensation, to that memory, in session, by reliving it, it comes with a lot of pain, a lot of unnamed unwanted undesired against life feelings.
But, in midst of all this chaos, maybe, the individual can use this energy to transcend, to go beyond words, go beyond all the formation of the psych, and heal that wound with selflove and compassion (all possible dued to the psychoanalyst handling that feeling in front of the patient, not succumbing together or trying to deny.
Primary Narcissism, the Double, and Otherness Johann Jung Dans Recherches en psychanalyse 2015/1 (n° 19), pages 77a à 86a
https://www.cairn.info/revue-recherches-en-psychanalyse-2015-1-page-77a.htm
This one explains some short insights about this development phase.
This kind of trauma is considered by many psychoanalysts as uncurable, you can treat some symptoms, but it's something that only in the spiritual basis we can deal with it (even if there is no religion involved, i'm talking spirituality in the sense of losing oneself to become the whole, and obtain experiences beyond words, and maybe something click someday).
But, there is a few that believe there is, by a full disclosure, revelation, and this individual can heal this emptiness, which is only a symptom in a chain of events.
So, in some cases, is that spark of soul, frozen so many years ago, in childhood, against a full formed automaton (the false self which had to be formed to deal with the traumas, the anguish), in other cases, there is no childhood, it's full automaton, full defense against the other (serial killer cases).
And again, for someone else is something more "lighter", more easy to deal with,
It all depends on the subjective world.
This discussion can go on and on, and this is only one perspective in one night, so any argument is welcome.
But for you to know what emptiness means for those friends of yours...
You would have to ask them.
And handle the feelings that come together !
Love does that,
And it heals.
Really do, in the most severe cases it's the only thing that makes the difference.
It's my first day on this forum, hope it helps with some insights.
Cheers.
*I don't practice a lot of writing in english, so i will welcome any feedback.
