PSYCHOANALYSIS

2. The Genesis of Psychoanalysis

• The term ‘psychoanalysis’ is usually restricted to the medical literature on mental health
  when it isn’t provoking suspicious questions.
• Psychoanalysis, far more than just a psychotherapeutic method, stands as a comprehensive worldview that originated as the inaugural modern Western psychotherapy system.
• Sigmund Freud, the eminent Viennese psychiatrist, is credited with coining the term and spearheading its development in collaboration with his contemporaries.
• Initially conceived as a treatment modality for individuals resistant to conventional medical interventions, psychoanalysis has undergone significant transformations, evolving from its authoritative roots into a more practical and inclusive discipline.
• This evolution has been profoundly shaped by advancements in neurology, psychiatry, psychology, philosophy, and the social and natural sciences.
• Psychoanalysis, in its classical form, has witnessed a decline in prominence, paving the way for a more egalitarian and pragmatic approach.
• Beyond therapy, its overarching goal is to empower individuals by fostering awareness of their unconscious desires and defences.
• The foundational partnership between Freud and the physician Josef Breuer in 1886 marked a pivotal moment in the genesis of psychoanalysis.
• Breuer, renowned for his groundbreaking successes in treating "hysteria," collaborated with Freud in a method that encouraged individuals to delve into personal narratives, aiming to unearth buried traumatic experiences.
• Termed "the talking cure," this approach revealed that the recollection of traumatic events in an emotionally charged manner led to a diminishment of symptoms.
• This collaborative effort laid the groundwork for the birth of psychoanalysis, a transformative paradigm that continues to resonate across various fields.

3. The Unconscious in Psychoanalytic Theory

• The concept of the unconscious occupies a central position in psychoanalytic theory, representing a reservoir of memories and associated emotions deliberately shielded from consciousness due to their potentially threatening nature.
• Sigmund Freud, the pioneer of psychoanalysis, initially proposed that traumatic memories were the primary occupants of this hidden realm.
• However, he later expanded this notion to include instinctual impulses and associated desires, contending that cultural conditioning played a role in deeming such instincts socially unacceptable.
• A crucial psychoanalytic construct, repression, becomes the mechanism through which the unconscious forgets painful ideas or impulses to shield the psyche.
• For instance, someone harbouring anger towards a colleague might disavow these emotions, pushing them out of awareness through repression.

Freud's Tripartite Model

• Freud further elucidated the workings of the unconscious by introducing the id, ego, and superego as distinct components of the psyche.
• The id, inherent from birth, is instinct-driven and seeks immediate gratification, often disregarding situational realities.
• Emerging from the id, the ego serves as its rational counterpart, evaluating situations and deferring gratification in socially acceptable ways.
• The superego, shaped by internalizing social values, can be stringent and demanding, compelling individuals to adopt a punitive stance towards their instinctual needs.

Contemporary Perspectives

In modern psychoanalysis, some practitioners move away from Freud's id-ego-superego model, favouring a view of the mind as composed of multiple self-states that emerge in diverse contexts. This evolution reflects a broader understanding of the complexity and fluidity of human psychology, transcending the rigid structures outlined by Freud.

Fantasies

• According to Freud, fantasies play a crucial role in the psyche, serving various functions such as providing a sense of safety, regulating self-esteem, and aiding in the overcoming of traumatic experiences.
• Initially tied to sexual or aggressive wishes, fantasies were seen as avenues for imaginary wish fulfilment.
• Freud believed that delving into and interpreting fantasies was essential for understanding and motivating an individual's behaviour in psychoanalysis.

Defences

• Defences are intrapsychic mechanisms designed to shield individuals from emotional pain by pushing thoughts, wishes, feelings, and fantasies out of conscious awareness.
• Projection allows individuals to attribute their threatening feelings or motives to someone else, while reaction formation involves denying a threatening feeling by asserting the opposite.
• Rationalization helps individuals justify unacceptable behaviours when their self-esteem is threatened, and splitting is a cognitive distortion seen in borderline personality disorder, where individuals perceive others in extremes.
• Denial is observed in cases where individuals with serious physical illnesses deny being informed of their condition to preserve their perceived reality.
• Displacement involves shifting emotions from a threatening object to a less threatening one, as seen when grief over losing a child is replaced by emotions attached to a campaign against dangerous driving.

Identification, Sublimation, and Resistance

• Identification occurs when a victim assumes the faults of their opponent, as seen in cases of domestic violence where the victim believes they deserve mistreatment to rationalize the aggressor's behaviour.
• Sublimation involves transferring unacceptable impulses into more socially acceptable alternatives, such as channelling anger into political activism.
• Freud formalized the concept of resistance when he encountered reluctance from clients during therapy.
• To overcome this, he introduced free association, encouraging clients to express anything on their minds without self-censorship, as a means of addressing and understanding resistance within the psychoanalytic process.

5. Transference

• Freud observed that clients often perceived him through the lens of their past experiences, leading them to view him as tyrannical if they had a tyrannical father, for instance.
• According to Freud, transference involves the unconscious shifting of templates from past relationships onto present figures.
• He considered transference as a valuable opportunity for individuals to gain insights into how adverse past experiences influence their current behaviour.
• Freud proposed that maintaining therapist anonymity, achieved by withholding personal information, could diminish the likelihood of clients developing transference toward the therapist.
• By limiting the client's knowledge of the therapist's life or views, Freud believed it created a more objective therapeutic environment.
• Freud acknowledged that therapists might experience unresolved unconscious conflicts, leading them to develop emotions or reactions towards their clients referred to as countertransference.
• To address this, Freud emphasized the importance of therapists working through their countertransference.
• This process involves personal supervision or self-analysis, enabling therapists to gain clarity on their own unresolved issues and ensuring that their reactions do not hinder the therapeutic process.

Psychoanalysis

• Psychoanalysis, as envisioned by Freud, encompasses the interpretation of dreams as a fundamental practice.
• Viewing dreams as forms of wish fulfilment, Freud believed that unravelling their meanings was central to the psychoanalytic process.
• However, contemporary psychiatrists hold divergent views on the significance of dream interpretation in therapy.
• Central to psychoanalysis is the idea that change involves bringing unconscious wishes into conscious awareness.
• Freud posited that human behaviour is propelled by unconscious desires that often escape awareness, leading to self-defeating actions.
• The lack of awareness, according to Freud, results in individuals deceiving themselves about the true reasons behind their behaviour, thereby limiting their choices.
• In psychoanalysis, the therapeutic relationship itself serves as a potent catalyst for change.
• By behaving differently from the client's parents, therapists can introduce new relational experiences that challenge maladaptive models.
• This approach aims to reshape ingrained patterns and foster healthier psychological functioning.

Traditional vs. Contemporary Approaches

• Traditional psychoanalysis typically involves four to six sessions per week and extends over years, emphasizing the depth and intensity of treatment.
• While such long-term approaches are believed to facilitate profound changes in personality functioning, contemporary psychoanalysts acknowledge the practical challenges and opt for shorter-term consultations occurring once or twice a week. This more flexible approach aligns with the evolving needs and preferences of clients, recognizing that fundamental personality changes can still be achieved within a more feasible and practical timeframe.

7. The Way Forward

Psychoanalysis continues to be a dynamic and evolving field, offering profound insights into the human mind. As it navigates the currents of contemporary psychology, it remains a compelling framework for those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and the intricacies of human behaviour.