19th Century Biography Research Paper
Gabriela Therezo
December 13, 2014
World History 2
Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis: an Eternal Man
Gabriela Therezo
Freud was a psychologist not like many others. Considered the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud was one of the most influential thinkers of all time, as his methods are still in use. Freud shaped psychology as it is today, and much of what goes on the psychiatric world nowadays happened because of him. He was born in Freiberg, now known as Czech Republic, and developed the method of analyzing patients through therapy, which is still in use today, called the Freudian method. Freud always thought differently than other psychologists. While some thought that it was necessary …show more content…
By far, the most important one was the conception of the unconscious. In the 19th century, psychologists believed that people could have control over what they think. Freud suggested the opposite. He suggested a different theory: the concept of the unconscious. He suggested that we are not aware of what we think, and that sometimes we do things that are completely different from our conscious thoughts. He came up with the idea that awareness existed in layers such as subconscious, conscious, and unconscious. The subconscious stands in between the conscious and unconscious thoughts. Freud suggested that we could “access the subconscious with a little effort”. This was a great contribution of Freud, since he developed the therapeutic technique upon that. He also proposed that some thoughts happened “below the surface” such as dreams [1]. As Freud himself said, “The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.”[3] According to him, dreams were the easiest way of accessing the unconscious. Freud described the unconscious as having three layers: Id, Ego, and Superego. In the Id, we have our most primitive thoughts. It is where our thoughts of gratification stand. [1]. The Superego can be described as our conscience; it is made up of our morals and principles. The Ego is the layer between both of them. It balances our needs with our thoughts that satisfy us. Freud proposed that in order to …show more content…
The objective of this therapy was to bring life to thoughts and feelings of the patient that were below the surface in a way that he/she could build a stronger ego, developing a more balanced and stable mind. Using his techniques, Freud developed methods for gaining access to the unconscious and being able to interpret dreams. He did this by encouraging patients to talk in free association with him. Psychoanalysis became the most common treatment for neurosis, thanks to Freud. All therapies started with Freud’s ideas, and many therapists still use his methods. The Freudian method believes that it is necessary to talk to the patient, let them open themselves into saying their deepest thoughts, and through that, illnesses and neuroses can be cured. Many people seek therapies not only for illness curing, but also as a process of
Gabriela Therezo
December 13, 2014
World History 2
Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis: an Eternal Man
Gabriela Therezo
Freud was a psychologist not like many others. Considered the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud was one of the most influential thinkers of all time, as his methods are still in use. Freud shaped psychology as it is today, and much of what goes on the psychiatric world nowadays happened because of him. He was born in Freiberg, now known as Czech Republic, and developed the method of analyzing patients through therapy, which is still in use today, called the Freudian method. Freud always thought differently than other psychologists. While some thought that it was necessary …show more content…
By far, the most important one was the conception of the unconscious. In the 19th century, psychologists believed that people could have control over what they think. Freud suggested the opposite. He suggested a different theory: the concept of the unconscious. He suggested that we are not aware of what we think, and that sometimes we do things that are completely different from our conscious thoughts. He came up with the idea that awareness existed in layers such as subconscious, conscious, and unconscious. The subconscious stands in between the conscious and unconscious thoughts. Freud suggested that we could “access the subconscious with a little effort”. This was a great contribution of Freud, since he developed the therapeutic technique upon that. He also proposed that some thoughts happened “below the surface” such as dreams [1]. As Freud himself said, “The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.”[3] According to him, dreams were the easiest way of accessing the unconscious. Freud described the unconscious as having three layers: Id, Ego, and Superego. In the Id, we have our most primitive thoughts. It is where our thoughts of gratification stand. [1]. The Superego can be described as our conscience; it is made up of our morals and principles. The Ego is the layer between both of them. It balances our needs with our thoughts that satisfy us. Freud proposed that in order to …show more content…
The objective of this therapy was to bring life to thoughts and feelings of the patient that were below the surface in a way that he/she could build a stronger ego, developing a more balanced and stable mind. Using his techniques, Freud developed methods for gaining access to the unconscious and being able to interpret dreams. He did this by encouraging patients to talk in free association with him. Psychoanalysis became the most common treatment for neurosis, thanks to Freud. All therapies started with Freud’s ideas, and many therapists still use his methods. The Freudian method believes that it is necessary to talk to the patient, let them open themselves into saying their deepest thoughts, and through that, illnesses and neuroses can be cured. Many people seek therapies not only for illness curing, but also as a process of