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Summary Sigmund Freud Psychoanalysis Theory
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Summary of Sigmund Freud's Biography and Psychoanalytic Theory
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NAME : SIGMUND FREUDPSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY
Biography
Birth and Early Life:
Born as Sigismund (Sigmund) Freud on March 6 or May 6, 1856.
Birthplace: Freiberg, Moravia (now the Czech Republic).
Parents: Jacob and Amalie Nathanson Freud.
Freud was the firstborn child in his family.
He had two half-brothers, Emanuel and Philipp, from his father's previous marriage.
Freud's parents had seven other children within 10 years, but he remained his mother's favorite.
Close bond with his mother contributed to his lifelong self-confidence.
Early Moves:
At age 3, Freud's family moved to Leipzig, then to Vienna.
Lived in Vienna for nearly 80 years until the Nazi invasion in 1938.
Moved to London where he died on September 23, 1939.
Impact of Family:
Birth of younger brother Julius when Freud was about 1.5 years old.
Freud felt hostility towards Julius and unconsciously wished for his death.
Julius died at 6 months old, leaving Freud with feelings of guilt.
As an adult, Freud realized such feelings are common among children.
Education and Career:
Attended the University of Vienna Medical School.
Interested in human nature rather than medical practice.
Preferred teaching and research in physiology.
Worked at the university's Physiological Institute after graduation.
Career Shifts:
Believed being Jewish limited his academic opportunities.
Father's financial support for his education diminished.
These factors pushed Freud to pursue other professional opportunities.
Legacy:
Freud's relationship with his mother influenced his theories on human relationships.
His work and self-analysis shaped his understanding of human psychology and development.
Shift to Medicine:
Reluctantly moved from laboratory work to medical practice.
Worked at the General Hospital of Vienna for 3 years.
Gained experience in psychiatry and nervous diseases.
Study with Charcot:
In 1885, received a grant from the University of Vienna to study in Paris.
Spent 4 months with Jean-Martin Charcot, a French neurologist.
Learned the hypnotic technique for treating hysteria.
Concluded that hysterical symptoms had psychogenic and sexual origins.
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Collaboration with Josef Breuer:
Developed a close professional and personal relationship with Breuer.
Learned about catharsis, the process of alleviating symptoms through talking.
Discovered the free association technique, which replaced hypnosis in his practice.
Aspirations and Early Achievements:
Dreamed of making a monumental discovery and achieving fame from adolescence.
Experimented with cocaine in 1884-1885, seeking recognition.
Gained knowledge about male hysteria from Charcot in 1886.
Hoped to impress the Imperial Society of Physicians of Vienna with his findings on male hysteria.
Challenges in Early Medical Career:
Early belief: Hysteria was a female disorder caused by a "wandering womb."
Presented a paper on male hysteria in 1886 to the Imperial Society of Physicians of Vienna.
Reception was poor because the concept was already known and his constant praise of
Charcot, a Frenchman, was not well-received.
Freud's later autobiographical account falsely claimed the poor reception was due to the novel
idea of male hysteria.
Struggle for Recognition:
Disappointed by the lack of recognition and opposition from peers.
Joined forces with Josef Breuer, who had a strong scientific reputation.
Discussed the case of Anna O., treated by Breuer, leading to collaboration.
Publication of "Studies on Hysteria":
Breuer was initially reluctant to publish due to limited case studies and disagreement over
Freud's theory of childhood sexual experiences as the source of hysteria.
Eventually, in 1895, they co-published "Studies on Hysteria" introducing the term "psychical
analysis."
The term "psycho-analysis" was adopted by Freud the following year.
Break with Breuer and Friendship with Fliess:
Professional disagreement led to estrangement from Breuer.
Turned to Wilhelm Fliess, a Berlin physician, as a confidant for developing ideas.
Correspondence with Fliess provides insight into the early development of psychoanalysis.
Self-Analysis and Personal Crises:
Suffered professional isolation and personal crises in the late 1890s.
Began analyzing his own dreams.
After his father's death in 1896, he started daily self-analysis.
Described himself as his own best patient during this period.
Self-Analysis and Personal Crisis:
Analyzed his own dreams and emotions intensely.
Found self-analysis challenging and energy-draining.
Middle-Aged Realization:
Struggled with the fact that he was middle-aged and had not achieved the fame he desired.
Attempted a significant scientific breakthrough with the seduction theory.
Abandonment of Seduction Theory:
Initially believed neuroses originated from a child's seduction by a parent.
Abandoned the theory in 1897 for four reasons:
a. It did not successfully treat any patients.
b. It implied a widespread incidence of sexual perversion among fathers, including his own.
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c. The unconscious mind might not distinguish reality from fiction, leading to the development
of the Oedipus complex.
d. Advanced psychotic patients’ unconscious memories rarely revealed early childhood sexual
experiences.
Midlife Crisis:
Suffered from severe psychoneurosis or a cardiac lesion exacerbated by nicotine addiction.
Experienced intense depression, neurosis, and preoccupation with creative activities.
Interpretation of Dreams:
Completed his landmark work, Interpretation of Dreams, in 1899, published in 1900.
The book was a result of his self-analysis and included many of his own dreams.
Marked as his greatest work, laying the foundation for psychoanalytic theory.
Breakup with Fliess:
Friendship with Wilhelm Fliess deteriorated shortly after the book's publication, ending in 1903.
Similar pattern of estrangement with other close associates like Breuer, Alfred Adler, and Carl
Jung.
Reasons for Estrangements:
Freud attributed the breakups to underlying animosities, jealousy, or revenge rather than
scientific differences.
Post-Interpretation of Dreams:
Interpretation of Dreams did not initially gain international attention but eventually brought
Freud the fame he desired.
Follow-up works solidified psychoanalysis:
On Dreams (1901/1953) – to rekindle interest in his dream theory.
Psychopathology of Everyday Life (1901/1960) – introduced Freudian slips.
Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality (1905/1953b) – established sex as central to
psychoanalysis.
Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious (1905/1960) – proposed unconscious meanings in
jokes.
These publications increased his prominence in scientific and medical circles.
Formation of Psychoanalytic Societies:
In 1902, invited younger Viennese physicians to discuss psychological issues, forming the
Wednesday Psychological Society.
The society was renamed the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society in 1908.
Founded the International Psychoanalytic Association in 1910, with Carl Jung as president to
diversify the movement beyond its Jewish and Viennese origins.
Relationships with Colleagues:
Jung was initially seen as the "Crown Prince" of psychoanalysis but eventually parted ways with
Freud.
Disagreements during a 1909 lecture tour to the United States contributed to the rift between
Jung and Freud.
Other close associates like Alfred Adler and Wilhelm Stekel also left the psychoanalytic
movement after disputes with Freud.
World War I and Later Years:
Faced hardships during World War I: reduced communication with followers, a dwindling
practice, and scarcity of resources.
Continued to revise his theories post-war despite personal health challenges from multiple
operations for mouth cancer.
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