A ‘GERAÇÃO DO QUARTO’ E AS PATOLOGIAS DO VAZIO:

ANÁLISE PSICANALÍTICA E PROPOSTAS DE EXTENSÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA NA ESCUTA DO SOFRIMENTO ADOLESCENTE

Abstract

This article investigates, from a psychoanalytic perspective, the pathologies of emptiness in contemporary adolescence, focusing on the so-called “Generation of the Room.” Based on the accounts of adolescents who isolate themselves in their rooms (Ferreira, 2022), the study examines how such withdrawal reveals failures in symbolization, fragility of the self, and weakening of family and social bonds within a psychic economy marked by helplessness. Using a qualitative methodology and multiple case study, the research finds that adolescent isolation reflects subjective impasses, intensified by parental fragility, excessive performance demands, and a lack of symbolic references. The room appears as both a space of defense and a subjective prison, with suffering often inscribed on the body. The findings highlight the need for outreach practices, such as conversation circles and workshops, to foster listening, dialogue, and support in schools and communities. The study concludes that a less pathologizing and more sensitive approach to adolescent suffering is fundamental, combining theory, clinical practice, and social intervention.