Psychoanalytic Therapy

Psychoanalytic Therapy

• Key Figures and Major Focus

  • Sigmund Freud: The father of psychoanalysis.
  • Erik Erikson: Known for ego psychology.
  • Margaret Mahler: Associated with object relations.
  • Psychoanalysis is the first system of psychotherapy.

• Philosophy and Basic Assumptions

  • Freud's view is deterministic, focusing on irrational forces, biological drives, and unconscious motivations.
  • Contemporary approaches stress social and cultural factors while emphasizing ego development and individuation of self.
  • Retains emphasis on unconscious processes, transference/countertransference, and early experiences.
  • Freud’s concepts are foundational for modern theories and therapeutic practices.

Key Concepts

View of Human Nature

• Deterministic; behavior shaped by unconscious motivations and instinctual drives during psychosexual stages.
• Life Instincts (Libido):
  • Initially referred to sexual energy; later broadened to include all life instincts aimed at survival, growth, and pleasure.
• Death Instincts:
  • Accounts for aggressive drives.
  • Represents an unconscious wish to die or hurt oneself/others.

Structure of Personality

• Id, Ego, Superego: Psychological structures governing personality.
  • Id:
  • Innate component; source of psychic energy governed by the pleasure principle.
  • Blind, demanding, and cannot tolerate tension.
  • Ego:
  • Executive function that mediates between id and reality, governed by the reality principle.
  • Responsible for rational thought and planning.
  • Superego:
  • Judicial component embodying moral standards.
  • Pursues perfection and controls id impulses through feelings of pride or guilt.

Conscious and The Unconscious

• Unconscious is key to understanding behavior.
• Inferred through:
  • Dreams.
  • Slips of the tongue, forgetfulness.
  • Hypnotic suggestions.
  • Projective techniques.
• Psychoanalytic therapy aims to unravel unconscious motives.

Anxiety

• Result of conflicts among the id, ego, and superego.
• Types of Anxiety:
  • Reality Anxiety: Fear of real danger.
  • Neurotic Anxiety: Fear of instinctual impulses overwhelming the ego.
  • Moral Anxiety: Fear of violating moral standards.
• Ego-Defence Mechanisms: Strategies to cope with anxiety, can distort reality.

Common Defence Mechanisms

• Denial: Refusal to accept reality.
• Regression: Reverting to earlier developmental behaviors.
• Acting Out: Extreme behaviors to express feelings.
• Dissociation: Disconnecting from reality during stress.
• Compartmentalization: Separating conflicting values or aspects of life.
• Projection: Attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts to others.
• Reaction Formation: Converting unwanted thoughts into their opposites.

Less Primitive, More Mature Defence Mechanisms

• Repression: Unconsciously blocking unwanted thoughts.
• Displacement: Redirecting feelings to a safe target.
• Intellectualization: Overthinking to detach from emotions.
• Rationalization: Explaining behaviors or thoughts in a different light.
• Undoing: Attempting to reverse or negate unacceptable thoughts.

Mature Defence Mechanisms

• Sublimation: Channeling unacceptable impulses into productive activities.
• Compensation: Balancing weaknesses with strengths in other areas.
• Assertiveness: Expressing one’s rights and needs directly and respectfully.

Development of Personality

• Identifies crucial psychosexual developmental stages (oral, anal, phallic).
• Patterns of unresolved conflicts lead individuals to therapy.
• Case Study: Stan:
  • His self-destructive behavior and preoccupations analyzed through his past rejections and familial dynamics.
  • Therapy focuses on understanding how past experiences shape current relationships and behaviors to promote personality growth.