Sigmund Freud's Theory Of Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is a very complex theory with many different levels and techniques to it that has captivated the interest of psychologists and people since it was theorized. Some of the interest comes from the curiosity of exploring Freud’s discredited theories. Other psychologists were interested in this theory not only because of the controversy, but because they thought some techniques of psychoanalysis had some validity to them. All of these techniques have been used tremendously throughout history in psychology, and some are still used today. Psychoanalysis has permanently changed psychology by introducing new and effective techniques that allows psychologists to have deeper access to the unconscious of individuals.

Psychoanalysis is a

However, while the term “psychoanalysis” was first conceived in 1896 the techniques used in it originated almost a year earlier. The concept of this practice first began when Freud and his colleague, Josef Breuer, started using the psychoanalytic technique, free association, with their clients. Free Association is “a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing” (Myers). Freud started recognizing that during these sessions when his clients “expressed random thoughts associated with specific queries, he could uncover hidden material from the unconscious mind” (Manger). Freud then theorized that the amount of strain experienced while enduring this process was correlated to the importance of the repressed material. In addition to this theory, Freud believes that the most strongly repressed memories and thoughts are sexually related. The psychologist stated that struggle between these taboos the and psychological mechanisms defending them were the reasons for many psychological disorders including anxiety, paranoia, narcissism, and more (Manger). Then in 1896 after the term “psychoanalysis” was coined, Freud started to explore the female and male sexuality, and developed his theory of

For example, the technique of free association is still part of the basis of some counseling methods today. The aspect of letting patients freely discuss their problems and inner thoughts provides them with a sense of relief by itself. Today, some psychologists will sit out of sight of the client so that the individual can feel more comfortable to disclose their thoughts. The psychologist will then make insights to the individual’s mental health based off of what they discussed during the session. Additionally, another technique of psychoanalysis still used today is dream analysis. According to Freud, all dreams have a manifest and latent content. The latent content is the part of the dream that individuals actually remember. The manifest content is the underlying meaning of these dreams. Freud would usually describe the manifest content as something sexual in nature, but in present day therapy psychologists use the manifest content to gain insight on the individual’s true feelings. Psychoanalysis is also used in psychiatry today. Psychoanalysis helps work empathy into the medical treatment process by exploring the unconscious. If psychiatrists explore an individual’s unconscious they can start to properly asses why the individual is acting the way they are before beginning treatment