Psychoanalytic Therapy

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Psychoanalytic Therapy

Sigmund Freud’s view of human nature is deterministic. The underlying
assumptions are that our behavior is determined by irrational forces, unconscious
motivations, and biological and instinctual drives. All of these evolve through
psychosexual stages in the first six years of life.
The primary characteristic distinguished by this approach is in making the
unconscious conscious. A major area of focus and emphasis for Freud was that the
personality consists of three systems; the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is ruled by
the pleasure principle, which is based on a drive to satisfy instinctual needs and is mostly
unconscious. The ego does realistic and logical thinking and formulates plans of action
for satisfying needs. The superego works with both the id and the ego by inhibiting the
Id impulses and persuading the ego to substitute moralistic goals for realistic ones.
Anxiety is a major concept is the psychoanalytic approach. Anxiety develops out
of a conflict among the id, ego, and super ego. It also warns of impeding danger. Ego
defense mechanisms help to cope with anxiety. Repression, denial, reaction formation,
projection, displacement, rationalization, sublimation, regression, introgection,
identification, and compensation are all ways in which the ego is prevented from being
overwhelmed.
Erickson based his ideas on Freuds but also stressed that the psychosocial aspects
of development goes beyond early childhood. Carl Jung based some of his views on
Freud as well, but disagreed with him in the end. He placed importance on the
psychological changes that are associated with mid-life. He stated that part of the nature
of humans is to be constantly developing, growing, and moving toward a balanced and
complete level of development.
Another area of focus in psychoanalytic therapy is the contemporary
psychoanalytic theory. A fundamental idea of this approa...