[Those who are loyal to death].

As a contribution to the clinical treatment of melancoly, this article studies the transferential and counter-transferential dynamics of unmotivated female patients whose lethargy is due to a little or unrewarding mother-child relationship. After having identified their method of incorporating the maternal image, the author points out that the cult-type admiration bestowed on mothers provides a basis on which one can better understand the elements of this private religion focused on idolization rather than on idealization of the loved one.