Psychoanalysis - what is it, the main provisions and methods

Psychoanalysis as a method of psychotherapy originated in Europe in the late XIX century. and from the very beginning was subjected to severe criticism of the contemporaries of Z. Freud, mainly because of the limited information of the person's personality to the drives: Eros (life) and Thanatos (death), but there were followers and students who discovered psychoanalysis from completely different sides.

What is psychoanalysis?

Who founded psychoanalysis - this question is asked only by people far from psychological knowledge. The founder of psychoanalysis is the Austrian psychoanalyst Z. Freud, who for his time was a bold innovator. Psychoanalysis (German Psychoanalyse, Greek psyche - soul, analysis - solution) is a method of treating patients with mental disorders ( neuroses , hysteria). The essence of the method is in the verbalization of thoughts, fantasies and dreams, which are interpreted by the psychoanalyst.

Psychoanalysis in Psychology

During the heyday of psychoanalysis (XIX - early XX century) therapy lasted several years and was not affordable for everyone, modern psychoanalysis is a relatively short-term (15 to 30 sessions 1 - 2 rubles per week) method. Previously, psychoanalysis was used only in medical institutions (psychiatric focus) for the treatment of neuroses, nowadays with the help of this method it is possible to work with a different spectrum of psychological problems.

Basic provisions of psychoanalysis:

• the behavior of the individual is based on unconscious irrational drives, often originating at an early stage of development (traumatic childhood situations);
• awareness of these drives triggers protective mechanisms of resistance;
• the conflict between conscious and repressed material into the unconscious leads to neuroses, depression;
• the realization of what is happening in the unconscious, with the help of the therapist, frees the patient from the influence of the unconscious material and leads to recovery.

Freud's psychoanalysis

As a result of years of monitoring his patients, Freud noted how much the suppressed unconscious affects the mental state, human behavior. Freud developed in 1932 a schematic structure of the psyche, singling out in it the following components:

1. Id (it) is the region of unconscious drives to life and death.
2. Ego (I) - conscious thinking, the development of protective mechanisms).
3. Superego (Super-Self) is a field of introspection, a moral censor (introjection of the value system of parents).

Freud's methods of psychoanalysis at the initial stage consisted in using hypnosis in order to uncover unconscious mechanisms, later the psychiatrist abandoned them and developed others successfully applied in modern psychoanalysis:

• research of motives of behavior through free associations of the patient;
• interpretation;
• analysis of "resistance" and "transfer";
• study.

Jung's Psychoanalysis

Jungian psychoanalysis or analytical psychology Jung (a favorite disciple of Z. Freud, with whom a painful break occurred due to his views on psychoanalysis) is based on the following principles:

1. The unconscious man in a normal state is in equilibrium.
2. Problems arise from the imbalance, this leads to the emergence of complexes that carry a negative emotional charge, which is displaced by the psyche in the unconscious.
3. Individuation - the process of the patient's recognition of his uniqueness and individuality (promotes healing), "the way to himself," is carried out with the help of a psychoanalyst.

Lakan's psychoanalysis

Jacques Lacan is a French psychoanalyst, an ambiguous figure in psychoanalysis. Lacan called himself Freudian and constantly emphasized that the teaching of Freud is not fully disclosed and it is important to constantly re-read his writings in order to comprehend his ideas. Lacan preferred to teach psychoanalysis in oral form, at seminars. Scheme "Imaginary - Symbolic - Real" Lacan considered the basic:

• imaginary - self-identification of a person (mirror stage);
• symbolic - differences, and awareness on the other side of the image of the Other, containing the symbolic;
• real - Lacan believed that a meeting with the real is possible through trauma.

Existential psychoanalysis

Classical psychoanalysis - the main ideas were subjected to the French philosopher and writer J.P. Sartre, the founder of existential psychoanalysis criticism and the Freudian libido was replaced by the original choice. The main meaning of existential analysis is that a person is an integrity, with a certain meaning, at every moment making a choice of himself in relation to being. Choice - this is the very personality. Fate develops from elections.

Methods of psychoanalysis

Modern psychoanalysis has undergone changes in the management of patients, as well as in the types of therapies used, but the basic techniques have continued to be used successfully:

1. The method of free associations. The patient lies on the couch and voices all the thoughts that come to mind.
2. Method of interpretation of dreams. Z. Freud's favorite method, about which he said that dreams are the royal road to the unconscious.
3. Method of interpretation. This technique allows you to bring unconscious processes to the level of consciousness. The patient (analysand) says, and the psychoanalyst analyzes and communicates the meaning, which is either confirmed, and any events related to the meaning are recalled, or not accepted by the patient.

Classical psychoanalysis

The orthodox psychoanalysis of the individual or Freudianism is based on the basic techniques of Z. Freud. At the present stage, it is rarely used in the pure form in therapy, mainly it is neo-Freudianism - the synthesis of techniques of various directions. The goal of classical psychoanalysis is to resolve internal conflicts, complexes formed at an early age. The main method of Freudianism is the flow of free associations:

• the patient is offered without the participation of logic to say everything that comes to his mind, even those things that cause shame;
• the therapist deciphers the derivatives of the unconscious, and in understandable form brings the true meaning to the patient.

Group psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis in the group is an effective form of therapy using psychoanalytic methods. Group psychotherapy contributes to:

• development of empathy through empathy to other members of the group, sharing their pain and psychological trauma;
• mental healing;
• acceptance of man himself.

Group psychoanalysis - the concept was introduced by the psychoanalyst T. Barrow in 1925. Modern group psychotherapy is a meeting once a week for 1.5 - 2 hours. Objectives of the analysis groups:

• creating a safe space for the members of the group, where you can freely talk about the painful;
• identification of hidden authentic affects;
• through the depth of communication the resolution of internal contradictions and conflicts.

System-vector psychoanalysis

Modern psychoanalysis of the individual undergoes changes with the course of time. Soviet psychologist V.A. Ganzen develops systemic perception matrices, on the basis of which his pupil VK Tolkachev develops 8 vectors (types) of the psyche. To date, in this direction works J. Burlan. Proceeding from the system-vector psychoanalysis, each person has a prevailing one, one of 8 vectors:

• muscular;
• oral;
• anal;
• visual;
• olfactory;
• cutaneous;
• sound;
• urethral.

Books on Psychoanalysis

The study of psychoanalytic techniques and techniques is impossible without reading the relevant literature. The best books on psychoanalysis:

1. " Humanistic psychoanalysis " E. Fromm. An anthology compiled by a German psychoanalyst will be of interest to students of humanitarian universities studying psychoanalysis. E. Fromm reconsiders such well-known phenomena in psychoanalysis as the Electra and Oedipus complex, narcissism, motives of unconscious motives.
2. " Ego and mechanisms of psychological defense " A. Freud. The book is the daughter of the famous psychoanalyst, who continued his father's work in the field of child psychoanalysis. The novel describes a new approach in revealing the inner emotional traumas of a child.
3. " Archetype and Symbol " by K.G. Jung. In each person, the archetypes of the collective unconscious are hidden: Person, Anima and Animus, Shadow, Self and Ego.
4. " Running with wolves " Female archetype in myths and legends. KP. Estes. Psychoanalytic trend, based on the analysis of fairy tales. The author suggests that women look inside and find that natural, wild and unrestrained part that has been forgotten.
5. " Liar on the couch " by I. Yal. A talented psychoanalyst is successful in the writers' craft. Subtle humor and dramatic moments, taken from their own practice - the reader sees that the psychoanalyst is the same person with his problems.

Movies about psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis - a topic that is interesting for many eminent directors and those who like to get to know themselves psychological films are of considerable interest, often after watching such films, there are own insights that help to unravel the tangle of problems. Films about psychoanalysis, worthy of attention:

1. "Son's room / La stanza del figlio" . The Italian psychoanalyst Giovanni has everything in life, he is in demand in his profession, but a misfortune has happened - the son was killed and Giovanni is trying to find meaning.
2. «Psychoanalyst / Shrink» . Henry Carter is a successful psychoanalyst, to him on the waiting list of celebrities, but in his personal life everything is not so smooth. Henry's wife ends up suicidal, and the psychoanalyst comes to the conclusion that he can no longer help his patients.
3. "The Dangerous Method . " The script of the film is based on real and contradictory relations between Z. Freud, his pupil K. Jung and patient Sabina Spielrein.
4. "Patients / In Treatment" . The series, each series in which it is a session of psychotherapy, with the use of different classical techniques and psychoanalysis among them. The film will be useful both for psychologists and for people interested in psychology.
5. "When Nietzsche wept . " The film about the formation of psychoanalysis in Europe, is based on the novel of the famous Hungarian psychoanalyst Irvin Yalom.