Psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud main ideas in brief

Psychoanalysis is a direction in psychology that includes the psychological concept of human personality and a system of methods for treating mental disorders was developed at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by the Austrian scientist - neurologist Sigmund Freud.
At present, the system of methods of psychoanalysis has been significantly expanded by the efforts of numerous scientists, followers of Freud's theory, for example, such as Carl Gustav Jung, Alfred Adler, as well as the so-called neo-Freudians, such as Eric Fromm, Harry Sullivan, and others.

Various methods and systems based on the theory of psychoanalysis are now widely used in psychological counseling and psychotherapy.
Despite the fact that today these methods use many significantly different methods from each other and are based on completely different approaches to the human personality, its structure and development, they all use the same concepts developed by Freud as a basic idea.

Basic concepts of psychoanalysis

Here are some of the fundamental foundations of psychoanalysis in one way or another inherent in most psychoanalytic methods.

- human behavior, the state of his psyche (consciousness) largely depend on internal unconscious motives, which are determined by libido or sexual attraction (in the process of development, this position was repeatedly corrected or challenged by the followers of Freud).

- The main cause of psychological problems of the personality (neuroses, depression, fears, complexes) is an almost inevitable conflict between unconscious impulses (desires) and the conscious part of the personality.

- The weakening of this conflict or even getting rid of it can be achieved through the awareness of the personality of the traumatic memories causing the conflict, by releasing this material from the sphere of the unconscious and then working with it with the help of the psychoanalyst.

- The human psyche has defense mechanisms that prevent the awareness of the contents of the unconscious.

Personality (psyche) structure according to Freud

According to the theory of Sigmund Freud, there are three different levels of human consciousness.

1. CONSCIOUSNESS. This is actually a part of our consciousness, which we are aware of at every moment of time. Here is our thought process, the emotions accompanying this process, perception with the help of the senses, the rational experience of knowing the world. Consciousness is the only part of our psyche (and very insignificant according to Freud) that is subject to real awareness.

2. PRECONSCIOUSNESS (subconsciousness). In computer terms, this part of the psyche is a kind of random access memory. This part is not recognized by us at any moment in time, however, if necessary, we have access to its content. It contains memories, our knowledge, this is our memory.

3. UNCONSCIOUS. This is a part of our psyche that is inaccessible to rational awareness. Here is the material, for one reason or another, ousted from consciousness and preconsciousness.
These are fears, unacceptable aspirations (sexual and aggressive), repressed experiences, irrational aspirations.

At the same time, the personality itself, which includes all three levels of consciousness (psyche), structurally also consists of three parts. These are ID (It), Ego (I) and Super Ego (Above I).

- ID (IT) is the original (basic) part of the psyche with which a human being is born. It is it that is responsible for survival in the real world, is responsible for providing basic needs.
According to Freud, ID is guided by the principle of maximum pleasure (enjoyment), and by its nature carries the principle of Absolute Egoism and satisfaction of needs.
According to the aspirations of the ID, the only good is the satisfaction of these needs, moreover, immediately and at any cost. So an infant, whose personality structure has not yet formed, is guided by this very principle.
It is believed that this part of the psyche is completely in the unconscious.

- EGO (I). Freud believed that this part of the personality develops in the first three years of an infant's life. The reason for its development is the need for interaction with the outside world, and it develops in accordance with the rational principle of reality. What does this mean? This means that the child begins to understand that the immediate and unconditional satisfaction of the ID's desires is associated with certain difficulties and its fulfillment has to be linked to some of the realities of the surrounding world. These realities are the presence of other people, each of whom also has their own desires and needs. On the basis of experience, there is a realization that unconditional selfish behavior (as required by ID) can bring certain problems. This is the gradual formation of strategies of behavior, taking into account external circumstances. This part of the psyche is in consciousness, in preconsciousness, and in the unconscious.

- SUPER EGO. According to Freud, this part of consciousness is formed by about 5 years and contains moral principles that are formed in consciousness by this time, thanks to the influence of parents, other people, as well as the external circumstances of the child's life described earlier. It is this part of the personality that is responsible for the formation of assessments bad - good, acceptable - unacceptable. Freud divided this part of the personality into two leaving ones - conscience and I - the ideal.
The Super Ego, like the ego, is in all three "elements", in consciousness, in preconsciousness and in the unconscious.

According to Freud, an indicator of a completely mentally healthy person is the control of the Ego over the Super Ego and Id.

In other words, the Ego must be stronger than other parts of the personality.
In fact, proceeding from the logic of the personality structure, the role of the Ego is reduced to rational activity to reach a compromise between the Id and the Super Ego. Nevertheless, one must understand that the role of the I in any case is reduced to satisfying the ID in the fastest and at the same time safe way for the individual.
It is practically impossible to completely satisfy both in the real circumstances of life in society.

If the Super Ego is dominant in a person, then we end up with a Puritan who strictly follows moral principles and (or) lofty ideas, which are at the forefront and the suppressed aspirations of the Id, constantly striving to come out.
If id is dominant, then this person will naturally strive for pleasure, regardless of other people and social attitudes.
As it is easy to assume, it is the last two options that are problematic, the first is usually for the individual himself, the second for society.

This thinker has helped us move closer to understanding why our lives and relationships are so confusing and painful, why life is difficult, and how to deal with it.

Sigismund Shlomo Freud was born into a family of Jewish bourgeois in 1856. His professional life took a while. While studying medicine, he dissected hundreds of acne in vain trying to find their reproductive organs. He promoted cocaine as a drug, but later turned out to be dangerous addiction, but years later he founded the discipline that brought him fame - a new type of psychotherapy called psychoanalysis.

The revolution was made by his 1900 book, The Interpretation of Dreams, and others followed. Despite his success, he was very unhappy. During one particularly difficult study, he wrote "My main and most difficult patient is myself."

Freud was convinced that he would die at 61 or 62 and was terribly afraid of these numbers. However, he died much later. В 83. Perhaps it was thanks to his despair that Freud was able to deeply comprehend the causes of human misery. He suggested that we are all driven by the pleasure principle. It pushes us towards simple physical and emotional rewards and turns us away from unpleasant things like boredom and discipline. In infancy, we are almost completely driven by the pleasure principle, Freud argues, but if followed without restriction, it leads to dangerous and irresponsible behavior. For example, to complete idleness or overeating or (sensational detail) to sex with relatives.

We must consider what Freud called the principle of reality. We are all subject to him, however Freud believed that there are harmonious and disharmonious ways to live with him. He called disharmonious ways neuroses. Neuroses are the result of inept trading with the pleasure principle, or, in Freud's words, the repression of this principle.

Freud described the conflict between three sides of our nature: It (Id), driven by the principle of pleasure, the Super Ego, which wants to follow the rules and be good in the eyes of society, and I (Ego), which is forced to adapt to both neighbors.

To understand their relationship, Freud suggests finding the origins of our neuroses in childhood.

Phases of psychosexual development according to Freud

Early in life we ​​go through what Freud called the oral phase of the psychosexual. At this stage, the mouth is the main generator of pleasure. We master the senses associated with swallowing and eating. Many neuroses can develop here, for example, refusal to eat, as a pleasure, or vice versa food, as consolation or fear of depending on who feeds us.

Then comes the anal phase that is closely related to what we call "potty training." During this period, a person for the first time gets the opportunity to control at least something in his body, namely the processes of defecation and urination. In this phase, we learn to test the power of others. If something is wrong here, if we are disappointed in a figure of power, we can endure it just to spite her. This fixation forms an anal-holding personality type. Such a person is incapable of giving or reconciling.

Next comes the phallic phase. It lasts up to about 6 years. Freud shocked his contemporaries by claiming that children have sexual feelings. Moreover, in the phallic stage, children direct sexual impulses to their parents - the most accessible and close people in their life. It was Freud who described the famous Oedipus complex - an unconscious obsessive love for one parent and hatred for another.

The problem is that no matter how much our parents love us, they cannot transfer it to the area of ​​sex. They will always build full-fledged relationships, first of all, with each other. This makes us feel dangerous jealousy and anger. And also shame and guilt for being angry. This complex causes incredible internal anxiety in the baby. As a result, most of us experience mixed feelings about our parents, which later shape our image of love. For example, if the mother was cold to us, we still yearn for her tenderness, but at the same time we can continue to associate love with some detachment. Often the love that we learned from our parents forbids mixing love and sex, because the people who taught us love were also inaccessible for sex. Therefore, sometimes, the more we love a person, the more difficult it is to make love to him.

Freud's method

There is no easy way out. Freud says that we cannot be absolutely rational, and society simply cannot be changed. In his 1930 book Dissatisfaction with Culture, Freud wrote that society has provided us with many benefits, but at the same time imposed a heavy dictate. For example, he allowed to have sex with only one person, imposed a taboo on incest, forced us to restrain all our impulsive desires, ordered to obey the authorities and work for. Society itself is neurotic in nature. This is the only way it can exist in the form in which we know it. Hence the constant wars and political strife.

Freud tried to find a cure for our neuroses and he called it psychoanalysis. According to Freud, the person of his unconscious attitudes enables a person to free himself from their obsessive dictate. During the sessions, he analyzed several things. He turned to dreams, which he considered to be expressions of unfulfilled desires, and he also studied parapraxis, what we know as Freudian slips.

Freud's theory can be viewed in different ways. Some believe his ideas are the key to understanding the deep nature of man, and some completely reject them, but as Freud himself said, whoever despises the key can never open the door. And who knows, maybe Freud's theory is this very key, just for you. Who knows...

Founder of Psychoanalysis, 11 once nominated for the Nobel Prize, but did not receive it.

In 1896 Sigmund Freud expelled from the Vienna Medical Society for allegations that sexual problems are at the root of mental disorders ...

Sigmund Freud about himself (from letters to the bride):“... Is it really true that outwardly I look pretty? Frankly speaking, it seems to me that there is something unusual in me, maybe even strange. This is probably because in my youth I was too serious, and in my mature years I was restless. There was a time when only curiosity and ambition spoke in me. I often took offense that nature, apparently, was not very supportive of me, rewarding with the appearance of a genius. Since then, long ago, I know that I am not a genius, and I myself do not understand why I so want to become one. Maybe I'm not even very gifted. However, some features of my personality, character traits predetermined the ability to work. So my success is not due to outstanding intelligence. But I am sure that such a combination of properties and qualities is very fruitful for a slow ascent to the truth. » .

Sigmund Freud, Letters to the Bride, M., "Moscow Worker", 1994, p. 131-132.

Gradually ideas Sigmund Freud captured the minds of intellectuals, a circle of students began to form, who in 1902 formed the Vienna Psychoanalytic Circle, which after 6 years transformed into the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society.

« Freud explained art, science and culture in general as repression of instinctive life and the subsequent more or less successful transformation of sexual energy into creative work. Objective appraisal and criticism of art is giving way to pathographic analyzes like the one he carried out in relation to Leonardo.
Freud was engaged in speculative constructions until his death. In 1939, at the age of 83, he published his last book, Moses and Monotheism. In this book, Freud argued that Moses was an Egyptian, not a Jew, and that he was a type of a father killed by the tribes of Israel. Due to remorse over this act, he was later deified and became the only god of Judaism.

According to Freud, this is the origin of monotheism. Freud, who was 40 years old when he “discovered” psychoanalysis, spent another 43 years, first developing psychoanalysis, and then developing his metapsychology and applying it to the “human race”. During these years, he won many followers to his side, although at the same time, many scientists betrayed him. The main apostates were Alfred Adler and Carl Jung who broke away from it and created their own versions of this theory. But in the last years of Freud's life, the psychoanalysis movement actually swept the entire world, and Freud ruled it with dogmatic jealousy.
Freud lived in the Vienna ghetto - Leopoldstadt - from the age of four, first in poverty, and then with relative bourgeois comfort. In the last years of his life, he received few patients, devoting his time to literary work and the training of psychoanalysts. During the last fifteen years of his life, he suffered from oral cancer; infection of the larynx was prevented only as a result of a series of operations.

In 1938, shortly before Freud's death, the Nazis invaded Austria. They confiscated all of his property, his publishing house and library. The most serious thing was that his passport was taken away. He became a prisoner Hitler in the ghetto. The International Psychoanalytic Society began to petition for his release. A ransom was demanded for him; one of his patients and followers, Princess Marie Bonaparte, paid 100 000 shillings for his release. Freud's family moved to England, where he spent the last year of his life. His four sisters who remained in Vienna were killed in Nazi gas ovens. Freud died on September 23, 1939. "

Harry Wells, Pavlov and Freud, M., Foreign Literature Publishing House, 1959, p. 317-318.

Strictly speaking, Sigmund Freud and not claimed priority in the discovery of the unconscious. At the jubilee meeting dedicated to his 70th birthday, in response to the enthusiastic speeches of his admirers, he remarked: “Poets and philosophers discovered the unconscious before me. I discovered only a scientific method by which the unconscious can be studied. "

Lionel Trilling, The Liberal Imagination: essays on literature and society, New York, 1950, p. 34.

Work Sigmund Freud: Leonardo da Vinci, published in 1910, was the first psychoanalytic biography of a creative person.

The three main achievements of Sigmund Freud:

« First. After his work, it became clear that unconscious structures form a special ontological layer of the psyche and a layer accessible to scientific analysis. It is here that psychological reality, objective in the above sense, is.

Second. Having given your description of these structures, Z. Freud for the first time built a single, internally interconnected picture of the psyche, as Newton built a picture of the physical world.

Third. Freud's picture of the psyche was completely new and unusual. Art and literature described the "inner man", "man in man" - described in their human language. Science described "a machine in a person" (a reflex machine, an associative machine, etc.) - described in a strict, logically consistent machine language. Freud blew up the walls between the first and the second. He tried strictly, in a scientific language, to describe the "inner man", to describe not a dead, but a "hot" psychological reality. For this he created a new, special language - the language of psychoanalysis. "

Radzikhovsky L.A., Freud's theory: change of attitude, journal "Questions of Psychology", 1988, N 6, p. 103-104.

“Since 1897 Freud Five times underwent introspection (according to the first biographer, Ernst Jones, this introspection lasted a lifetime). Since 1902, the first detachment of his immediate students, psychoanalysts of the first generation, has been formed, who underwent educational analysis from Freud himself (since then, it has been agreed that the psychoanalyst can only switch to practice when he himself undergoes didactic psychoanalysis). This condition has been strictly fulfilled to this day. "

At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, the works of Sigmund Freud, an Austrian neuropathologist and psychiatrist, the founder of the doctrine of psychoanalysis, gained great popularity in Europe. And, today the theoretical and practical methods developed by Freud find their supporters. The questions arise - what exactly is psychoanalysis?; how can Freud's findings be used in everyday life ?; what are the foundations of Freud's theory ?; Why are they popular in Western countries today? This article is an attempt to answer all of these questions.

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud was born on May 6, 1856 in the city of Freiberg in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the age of 22, he entered the medical faculty of the University of Vienna, where he received his doctorate in 1881. Since 1885, Freud has been working at the University of Vienna: first as an assistant professor, and then as a professor of neuropathology. Freud's work at the Salpetriere clinic in Paris was of great importance. In 1896 he returned to Vienna. In the 90s of the XIX century, together with J. Breuer (an Austrian doctor and his friend), he developed a special method of hypnotherapy, the so-called “cathartic” method of neurosis therapy, that is, a method of mental purification. Since 1895, Freud began the systematic development of the theory of psychoanalysis. After Austria was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1938, Freud emigrated to Great Britain. On September 23, 1939, Freud's life ends in London. Today a vase with the ashes of Sigmund Freud and his wife Martha is in the crematorium of Golders Green (London).

Fundamentals of psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud began the systematic development of the theory of psychoanalysis in 1895. This main stage in Freud's work is often subdivided into three periods:

I period - early (1895 - 1905): this includes such his works as "Interpretation of Dreams", "Psychopathology of Everyday Life", "Wit and His Relationship to the Unconscious", "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality" and others.

II period (period I of the psychoanalytic system) - 1905 - 1920 At this stage, Freud wrote and published - "Leonard da Vinci, a study on the theory of psychosexuality", "Beyond the pleasure principle", "Totem and taboo".

III period (period II of the psychoanalytic system) - 1920 - 1939 In the early 20s, Freud revisits his previous views on the structure of the mental apparatus. The main conflict is no longer seen as a conflict between the rational consciousness and the irrational unconscious, but the “I” (Ego) itself is a field of combat between two forces - biological drives and attitudes of society “above I” (super-Ego). This period includes such works of Freud as "Psychology of the masses and analysis of the human" I "," I "and" It "," Dissatisfaction with culture "," Moses and monotheism. " In this last period, Freud introduces a new dualistic scheme into the doctrine of the sublimation of the sexual instinct as the engine of progress - the struggle in the human psyche of two cosmic principles - the impulse to life and the impulse to death.

The theory of psychoanalysis, developed by Freud, is based on the concept of the confrontation of three principles - “ conscious self”, unconscious "It" and " super-I”, Including self-control, spiritual and moral principles.

Freud argued that human behavior is determined by heredity and the environment, and the functioning of the psyche is based on two principles - on the principle of self-preservation and on the principle of pleasure. The basic human impulses, Freud continued, arising in the unconscious, Eros and Thanatos, are the expression "It"; successful suppression of impulses "It" he called " sublimation”- a condition necessary for the development of civilization. We see this theory well in Freud's work “ Totem and taboo”. So, what is the Freudian totem and taboo?

“Almost everywhere where there is a totem, Freud wrote, there is a law that members of the same totem should not have sexual intercourse with each other, therefore, they cannot also marry each other. This is what is associated with the totem exogamy. ”.

If we talk about exogamy, then it turns out that this was a reasonable prohibition on promiscuous sex or group marriage, cultivated by our distant ancestors. Consequently, exogamy was the most important establishment of the totem, or as Freud said: “ ... the exogamy associated with the totem provides more, therefore, pursues more than just the prevention of incest with mother and sisters. She makes it impossible for men to have sexual intercourse with all the women of his clan, that is, with a number of women who are not in blood relationship with him, since she considers all these women as blood relatives.”.

Another important psychological element in the social life of ancient people, Freud considered taboo. Taboo, as Freud said, has many purposes. The purpose of a direct taboo is 1) to protect important persons: leaders, priests, objects from possible attempts and damage; 2) in the protection of women, children, ordinary people against the magical power of the leaders; 3) in protection from the dangers associated with touching corpses or eating known food, etc.; 4) in the protection of important vital acts, such as childbirth, marriage, sexual activity; 5) in protecting a person from the wrath of demons and gods; 6) in the protection of newborns and young children from various dangers; 7) protection of property of any person from thieves.

Thus, the taboo and totem, Freud considered, as a necessary psychological prohibition at the level of consciousness and the super-self, used to suppress the unconscious, in that period of history, when there was still no society, no religion, morality and morality. Thus, we can say that taboos and totems were the first prohibitions in the history of mankind that were used by people in order to suppress promiscuity and incest.

Not only in public, but also in private life, Sigmund Freud believed that impulses play an important role in the psychological relation of people. In both normal and pathological human behavior, there is a conflict between unconscious desires and their suppression with the help of will or external factors. Any manifestation of the unconscious, Freud believed, stemming from sexuality. Even in the behavior of the child, primitive sexuality is manifested. Sexuality is the essence of Freud's entire psychoanalytic theory. Even in dreams, Freud saw images of suppressed desires in disguise, and these images mask latent desires.

Practical application of psychoanalytic methods

What practical application follows from Freud's theory? First of all, it must be said that in the West psychoanalysis still remains a popular method for treating various kinds of psychological deviations. Sometimes, it is important for a person to speak out, and in this case the psychoanalyst acts as a confessor. But, this is only the visible side. Psychoanalysis is not only theory, but also practice, and as you know, in practical application, Freud himself began with hypnosis to identify certain deviations. But then, Freud, replaced hypnosis with the method of free association, which allowed him to detect the phenomenon of patient resistance. Applying this method, he penetrated deeper into the inner causes of human behavior; and then he put forward a principle which he believed was necessary for the establishment of equilibrium. This principle - introspection... Through the procedure of introspection, Freud tried to establish the structure of the soul and the forces interacting within it. With the help of psychoanalysis and introspection, a person can understand their mental disorders; create attitudes that can help him get out of depression; interpret dreams. In addition, as practice shows, psychoanalysis is also the most important step in understanding how a person passed from savagery to barbarism, and from barbarism to civilization.

1. Psychoanalysis is a method by which you can understand your psychological state, as well as bring a person out of depression and restore the disturbed balance between desires and possibilities at the psychoanalytic level. This is why this method is so popular in the West. After all, there is no alternative to psychoanalysis today.

2. The basis of the theory of psychoanalysis is sexuality, which is considered as a driving factor in the emergence of impulses that drive a person. Suppressing them can lead to all kinds of psychological disorders.

3. Some critics regard Freudianism as a worldview concept arising from the spiritual crisis of society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They say that Freudianism has brought to an extreme point the erosion of spiritual values, and then only the spirit of destruction and non-existence reigns. And, this is partly correct. Indeed, today in the West, sexuality has been brought to the point of absurdity. Kindergarten children are told openly about the most intimate things of a sexual nature; teach that, in principle, children of this age do not need to know.

Of course, Freud's theory can also be challenged. However, there is no doubt that psychoanalysis is the most important discovery of the 20th century.

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The study of the human psyche has intrigued society for hundreds of years. However, most people still cannot find an answer to many questions about their personality. Detailed psychoanalysis can shed light on some of them. How does he act, what is his story? What makes us make the same mistakes? How can childhood events affect our present? You will find the answers in the article.

What is psychoanalysis

- This is a theory, the founder of which was Sigmund Freud, as well as a method for eliminating psychological problems.

When developing the theory, the famous Austrian psychotherapist applied many years of experience gained during his medical practice.

So, what do the main provisions of psychoanalysis say?:

• Conflicts between the conscious and the unconscious can lead to neuroses, fears, and other mental disorders.
• A person's experience, knowledge and behavior are formed on the basis of his irrational unconscious drives.
• trying to realize these drives, "turns on" defense mechanisms that interfere with the process of awareness.
• The influence of the unconscious can be neutralized through its awareness. Psychoanalysis is a problem-solving therapy.

The key idea of ​​psychoanalysis boils down to the assertion that a person is not aware of his own behavior - they need interpretation. According to the classical psychoanalysis of Freud, the patient should voice all his thoughts, dreams. The task of the psychoanalyst is to analyze what he has heard.

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History of psychoanalysis

The history of psychoanalysis dates back to 1880, in the days when the Viennese doctor J. Breuer shared with his comrade Z. Freud a remarkable story about a patient who recovered from the symptoms of hysteria after a session. At the reception, she was able to voice a deeply traumatic event that happened to her. The result was a strong emotional reaction. Catharsis resulted in significant relief of symptoms. When the patient came out of the state of hypnosis, she did not remember her confessions.

Freud decided to apply the technique to his patients - Breuer's results were confirmed. The partners shared their findings in a joint publication Research on Hysteria, claiming that the symptoms of hysteria are triggered by repressed memories of some traumatic event. A difficult situation is forced out of consciousness, but continues to influence the patient.

Personal reasons prompted Breuer to move away from research and Freud began independent work. He managed to find that a similar result is achieved not only with hysteria, but also with obsessive states of a sexual nature, which often arise even in childhood.

The psychoanalyst initially considered the Oedipus complex to be the key cause of neuroses. The symptom begins to form at moments when the child's unconscious drives threaten to break through the barrier set by repression, which turns out to be unacceptable for other parts of the psyche due to fear of punishment and for moral reasons.

Basics of psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is a therapy based on several unshakable principles:

• First of all, the principle of determinism is implied. According to the ideas of psychoanalysis, not a single manifestation of the psyche can be called accidental, unconnected with anything, involuntary. Perceived feelings, thoughts, impulses should be considered as events of causal interactions determined by early childhood experience. Special research methods (mainly through the analysis of dreams and associations) reveal the connection between situations from the past and current psychological experience.
• The second principle is based on the topographic approach. All mental elements are assessed according to the criteria of their availability. Repressions, which ensure the removal of certain psychological elements from consciousness, indicate that a certain part of the psyche makes efforts, not wanting to be aware of them.
• At the heart of the third dynamic principle is the theory that the psyche is motivated to act by impulses and sexuality, which are elements of a common biological heritage. They have significant differences from the instinctive behavior of animals. In the animal kingdom, a stereotyped response is usually recorded, provoked by special stimuli in certain situations and aimed at survival. Psychoanalysis considers attraction as a state of nervous excitement, which is a response to stimuli that direct the psyche to action, stress relief.
• The fourth principle is the genetic approach. The personality traits of an adult that characterize his conflicts, neurotic symptoms, are generally associated with the fantasies and desires of childhood. It is believed that no matter what paths open to a person, he will not be able to get away from his own childhood experiences - in any case, they will haunt him throughout his life.

Psychoanalysis methods

Let us consider in detail the main methods applicable in the field of psychoanalysis: the method of interpreting dreams, the method of free associations, the method of interpretation. Let's describe each separately.

Free association method

What is this famous method based on? On the application of the phenomenon of associativity in order to study deep mental phenomena and processes (they are often unconscious). The data obtained are used for the treatment and correction of functional mental disorders, with the help of the patient's awareness of the nature and source of problems.

What is the peculiarity of the free association method? In a conscious joint and purposeful confrontation between the therapist and the patient with a state of psychological discomfort. By working together, the analyst and the patient deal with the problem.

The method of free associations can be called a method of studying the mental state of a patient. He talks about any thoughts that come to his mind, no matter how absurd or inappropriate they may seem. They can sound fantastic, ordinary, obscene. The therapist will have to draw a conclusion from these revelations or incoherent scraps of thoughts.

In the "Dictionary of Psychoanalysis" (J. B. Pontalis, J. Laplanche) it is noted that free associations can be called the expression of all ideas and thoughts that arise in consciousness without analysis - spontaneously or starting from some element (number, word, image from a dream).

Freud called for abandoning the role of controlled consciousness, starting to understand mental processes. He stated that consciousness tries to eliminate the images and thoughts appearing on the periphery before the attention of the analyzing object is focused on them. At the same time, when analyzing the mental state, it is these images and thoughts that can carry special significance.

It was Freud who first began to actively apply the method of free association. The psychoanalyst suggested that his patients lie down on the couch and relax, simply saying whatever comes to their mind, no matter how incredible, absurd and unusual these thoughts may be from the point of view of the usual moral norms. During the sessions, the therapist observed how powerful emotional drives brought uncontrolled thinking to mental conflict. The famous psychotherapist stated that the first random image and thought implies exactly what is necessary for psychoanalysis. A random thought may have a connection with a repressed memory.

Dream interpretation method

According to the theories of Sigmund Freud, dreams can reveal the presence of intense mental activity in the depths of consciousness. What is the analysis of dreams? The therapist has to find the distorted unconscious truth lurking in every dream. Freud was convinced that the weirder and more confused the dream, the more hidden content it has. In the language of psychoanalysis, this phenomenon is called resistance - its manifestations can be noticed even when a person who has dreamed does not agree to its interpretation. This speaks of his unconscious resistance, established barriers to protect his own psyche.

Dreams separate the unconscious from the real world. In them, exciting situations that cause feelings are deformed in the most bizarre way. Also, dreams can tell about secret desires. In the case of child psychoanalysis, the differences between latent and explicit thoughts are less obvious.

Hidden thoughts are transformed into symbols, manifesting themselves in a form acceptable to consciousness. This allows them to bypass certain "censorship". Even today, the manifestation of the unconscious in the form of sleep remains one of the greatest mysteries of consciousness.

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The method of interpreting dreams is very important - it allows you to reveal the essence of the images that arise in a dream. Freud processed dreams by positioning them as symptoms of disease. According to him, for the correct use of this method, it is not recommended to consider dreams as something single - such an analysis will not lead to anything worthwhile. He was convinced that when analyzing dreams, it is necessary to painstakingly study its elements separately. The rule of association should be applied to individual fragments. Freud read any dreams not only as an object worthy of scientific research, but also as a way to know your deepest essence, to discover hidden desires that do not appear on the surface.

Interpretation method

Interpretation is considered one of the most important tools for any analyst. Even in the interpretation of dreams and free associations, the therapist uses interpretation. What does this term mean by itself?

Interpretation is called the main analytical tool. In dream interpretation and free association, the psychoanalyst tries to use interpretation. It is about transferring meaningful information about the patient from the unconscious to the conscious level. Repression of information, causing anxiety and anxiety of the individual, as well as its correct analysis, will mitigate the symptoms of neurosis or other mental problems.

Psychoanalysis in psychology and philosophy

Many general judgments can be heard about psychoanalysis. It is usually noted that psychoanalysis is a well-known direction in psychology, the benefits and significance of which are assessed in different ways. The method has both supporters and opponents.

If we talk about psychoanalysis in a philosophical vein, it is noticed that a feature of psychoanalytic concepts is their connection with psychotherapeutic practice. It is not reduced to either experimental knowledge or philosophical speculation, but grows out of the experience of communication and other aspects. Real comprehension of your inner world is carried out through insight. Such insight makes changes in the patient's life - he begins to comprehend himself and his beliefs in a completely different way.

This philosophy is somewhat similar to the ancient teachings, which combined the theory and practice of Zen Buddhism, yoga and other types of psychic.

The practice of psychoanalysis is periodically compared with the healing actions of priests and shamans. Psychoanalytic training is equated with initiation. It is no coincidence that many well-known analysts practicing psychoanalysis are simultaneously showing interest in various Eastern teachings and even magic.

Most adherents of Freud's theories, as before, adhere to the model of the human psyche, which was supported by the "father of psychoanalysis." Their beliefs are based on the fact that psychoanalysts usually receive a psychological or medical education. Their task is to adapt the patient to the surrounding circumstances. For the most part, psychoanalysis is widespread in America and the most developed European countries.

At one time, Sigmund Freud still hoped that his theories of psychoanalysis would be recognized by the scientific community. To this end, he resorted to analogies with archeology, hydraulics, economics and other sciences. Gradually, the conviction began to grow in him that this still would not happen.

The first reason can be called the difference in approaches, and the second is that for scientists, whose formation took place in the scientific fields of the nineteenth century, psychoanalysis is an unacceptable aspect for personal reasons. The ideas of therapy ran counter to narcissistic illusions about the power of the mind over nature and itself. In general, the frequency with which many representatives of science and philosophy condemned the principles of psychoanalysis, speaks of their obvious bias. Gradually, these beliefs began to change.

Today, the scientific status of psychoanalysis continues to be periodically challenged. Some researchers are inclined to think that he is still scientific, others question this statement, calling the well-known therapy pseudoscience.

Nevertheless, in the twentieth century, psychoanalysis became widespread in the humanities, psychology, philosophy and other areas.

Freud's Theory of Psychoanalysis: In Brief

According to Freud's theory, the human psyche can be "divided" into the following components: Ego, Id and Superego.

Definition of terms:

• Id- the main source of attraction and desire. As an analogy, you can cite an ordinary street dog, where all of its actions, like mating, sleeping, etc., are the result of instincts inherent in nature.
• Ego- a mediator sharing social framework and animal instincts. The part of the personality that satisfies the needs of the id, taking into account the limitations of the outside world.
• Superego refers to all social frameworks that begin with the period of parenting, when the foundations are laid for what can be done and what is not allowed. In adulthood, it is displayed in all aspects of life, such as morality, religion, law.

The topical model of the mental apparatus includes two elements: the unconscious and the conscious.

What do they mean:

• Unconscious- psychic forces that are beyond the line of consciousness. They determine how a person behaves.
• Conscious- the mental aspect that the individual is able to realize. Consciousness has a direct impact on how an individual positions himself or herself in society. The psyche is automatically amenable to correction by the pleasure principle. If the balance is disturbed, then a reset occurs through the unconscious sphere.

Defense mechanisms realize the conflict between Superego and Id. Freud described many of them: isolation, projection, repression, denial, substitution, regression, and so on.

Classical psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud

Starting to develop a new approach to the treatment of mental problems, Freud initiated his own research and studied the data of other scientists. Today, the theory of psychoanalysis is considered truly unique. What distinguishes her from others is that she does not undertake to study individual problems of the individual. Psychoanalysis considers everything in a complex. We suggest that you briefly familiarize yourself with the main provisions of therapy.

Classical psychoanalysis is based on the determinism of the biological component - on the assertion that the needs of physiology suppress all others, and indicate their vector. Psychic determinism indicates that any incident in a person's life has its consequences. Each of his actions is determined by an explicit or hidden motive, which was preceded by certain events.

There are several aspects of the mental life of an individual: conscious, preconscious, unconscious. In the first case, we are talking about experiences and current thoughts, in the second - about secret desires and fantasies, in the third - about what stands out from consciousness, suppressed by the inner censor. Freud believed that psychology should take a detailed interest in this complex mechanism.

Modern psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud was convinced that all our actions are dictated by subconscious desires. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that emerging needs are based on physiology and sexual desires. Modern psychology no longer focuses on this and does not pay too much attention to the statement.

How widespread is psychoanalysis today? In many countries, it is quite developed, being quite an ordinary phenomenon. Many modern therapists write books on this topic, which are very popular - that is, it is in demand. Certainly a certain type of society has long resisted the foundations of psychoanalysis, not accepting them. This can be said about Germany during the period of National Socialism and the USSR before the Brezhnev stagnation. These examples are the most obvious. Both the fascist and communist regimes opposed Freud's teachings based on ideological considerations. The Germans considered these theories "Jewish science, degrading human dignity", and the Soviet Union - "the apotheosis of bourgeois individualism."

Known as hidden attempts to oust the teachings from the life of society, and the obvious repression against him. It must be admitted that psychoanalysis also runs counter to many religiously centered and theocratic societies. Although there are cases when it was successfully developed in countries with authoritarian political regimes. The most obvious example is Argentina. According to the Argentine psychotherapist A. Benjamin, the reason is that it was the psychologist's office that usually became the last refuge for oppressed citizens, where freedom of speech was not prohibited.

To summarize, the conclusion suggests itself that the main condition for the successful development of psychoanalysis in society is freedom. Let us clarify that in this case, society should share the value of freedom, it should demonstrate the real implementation of freedoms (personality, speech, thought). By the way, for the full development of psychoanalysis, freedom of association is required, which makes it possible for the corresponding community to take shape.

In general, psychoanalysis is quite common in modern society. Various trainings are carried out, therapeutic rooms are functioning, and the corresponding literature is being published.