This initial dissociation of the most terrifying events they experienced with their captors prevented the four victims from facing the disintegration of their ego structures. Once freed, the most frightening and toxic actual events they experienced are assumed to be still held out of awareness, as revisiting those events are likely to bring up overwhelming emotions. Fairbairn noted that one of the primary reasons for keeping horrifying memories in the unconscious was because of the emotional disruption caused when they are re-experienced.There is little doubt in my mind, in conjunction with another factor to be mentioned later, that the deepest source of resistance is fear of the release of bad objects from the unconscious: for when such bad objects are released, "the world around the patient becomes peopled with devils which are too terrifying to face" (Fairbairn, 1952, p.69-70). This quote graphically describes the results of suddenly remembering those memories of interpersonal events between the captives and captors that were saturated with fear, dread and hopelessness. There is no reason now, given the fact that the captivity is long over, for the four victims to remember the horrifying details. Libidinal ego-exciting object side of the split
The other side of the split is abundantly obvious. All four victims refused to testify against their captors, and in fact raised money for their defense. Thus, given Fairbairns theory, they continue to see their captors through their libidinal egos as if the captors have a hidden storehouse of goodness somewhere in them.
(Diaz, 2017, p.42 )
This essay demonstrates just how strong the need for a “good object” parent is, and how it motivates children to hold on to illusions, despite the overwhelming crush of reality. A "Good Object" is a parent or parent-like figure who fulfills the parenting role, including being interested in, and respectful of, the childs developmental needs. When the writers first elaborate fantasy was disproved, he did not give up fantasizing, because his need for a parent continued to be great, so he assumed that there was a second America where his good father resided. For a full description of the libidinal ego and the exciting object see Celani, 2010, pp. 58–115. Intense relationships between the ego structures
The relationship between the two split off part-selves and their respective part-objects is intense because they were created out of enormous need, pain and desire. The intense need of the child for a good, loving object cannot be described in a more powerful way that the preceding quote by Diaz. He notes that his desperation was fueled because he was lost, he needed help learning English and needed an escape from his violent father. He was seeking a new father that would right all the wrongs that he had suffered. On the other side of the split is the childs antilibidinal ego, which is intensely motivated to force the rejecting object parent to become a good object, and own up to the mistakes they have made by rejecting their child.