2. Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a lengthy insight therapy
developed by Freud
◦ It aims at uncovering unconscious conflicts
◦ It uses techniques such as free association and
dream analysis
3. Freud’s therapy is an insight therapy
◦ It attempts to discover relationships
between unconscious motivation and
abnormal behavior
◦ Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of
personality argues that human behavior is the
result of the interactions among three
component parts of the mind: the id, ego, and
superego
Psychoanalysis
4. ◦ Second, the causes of maladjustment are unresolved
conflicts
◦ The person is unaware of these conflicts, and therefore cannot
deal with them
Any insight therapy has two basic assumptions:
◦ First, becoming aware of one’s motivations helps one
change and become more adaptive
Psychoanalysis
5. Goal of Psychoanalysis
The goal is to help patients understand the unconscious motivations
that direct their behaviors
◦ Only by becoming aware of these motivations can they choose behaviors that
lead to more fulfilling lives
◦ During analysis, patients are encouraged to express healthy impulses,
strengthen day-to-day functioning based on reality, and perceive the world as a
positive place
7. Defense mechanisms used by a person
Repression
The Repression forces a threatening memory, thought, or perception out of consciousness and prevents
it from returning patient mostly used in psychosomatic disorders such as asthma, arthritis, and ulcers.
Projection
projection is the attribution of one's feelings or characteristics to people in general. One who is
unhappily married may reduce the anxiety associated with that condition by concluding that all
marriages are unhappy.
Reaction formation
The principal features of reaction formation are an exaggerated demonstration of the opposite feeling
and an inflexibility of expression of that feeling. Reaction formations are also employed against
external threats, as in the case of exaggerated friendliness toward or obedience to someone or
something that is feared .
8. Defense mechanisms
Denial
When a situation or fact becomes too much to handle, a person may simply refuse to experience
it.
sublimation
Through sublimation an unacceptable drive is transformed into a social acceptable one. In sports,
for example, we find the sublimation of aggressive demand in the competition or contest.
Rationalization
It offers explanations following a logical pattern for some biases or manifestations which make
the subject feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. This mechanism can also be used to protect the
narcissist ego.
9. Defense mechanisms
Regression
Regression occurs when a person reverts to the types of behavior that they exhibited at an earlier
age. Stress of adult life and the associated anxiety may lead to a person seeking comfort in things
which they associate with more secure, happier times.
10. Techniques of Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is geared toward the exploration of early
experiences
Two major techniques are free association and dream analysis
In free association, the patient is asked to report whatever comes
to mind, no matter how disorganized or trivial
11. Techniques of Psychoanalysis
Free association
◦ One purpose is to help patients recognize connections
and patterns among their thoughts.
◦ It also allows free expression of the unconscious.
In dream analysis, patients are asked to describe their
dreams in detail.
12. Techniques of Psychoanalysis
Dream analysis
◦ The dreams are interpreted to provide insight into
unconscious motivation
◦ Freud believed dreams represent some element of the
unconscious seeking expression
Both free association and dream analysis involve the
therapist’s interpretations
13. Interpretation
Interpretation involves providing a context, meaning,
or cause, for an idea, feeling, or set of behaviors
◦ The therapist attempts to find a common thread in a
patient’s behaviors and thoughts
◦ Patients’ use of defense mechanisms may point to
areas that need to be explored
Techniques of Psychoanalysis
14. Techniques of Psychoanalysis
Two processes in psychoanalysis are resistance and
transference
◦ Resistance is an unwillingness to cooperate
◦ In resistance, the patient may be unwilling to
provide information, or help in interpretation
15. Transference
During transference, the therapist becomes the object
of a patient’s emotional attitudes about an important
person in the patient’s life
◦ The importance of transference is that the therapist
will respond differently than the important person
◦ This allows the patient to experience conflict
differently
Techniques of Psychoanalysis
16. The therapist can also guide the person to
explore repressed ideas
Examining previously unacceptable
thoughts and feelings helps patients identify
underlying conflicts
Techniques of Psychoanalysis
17. How it’s work
Psychoanalysis involves slowly gaining
insights into the unconscious
These insights allow the patient to learn new
ways of coping with instinctual urges
The patient also develops mature ways of
dealing with anxiety and guilt.
Techniques of Psychoanalysis
19. Psychoanalytic therapy used for such disorder
It’s used to treat some mental health conditions and situations as well. It may help you manage:
anxiety
panic disorders
post-traumatic stress disorder
personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder
stress-related physical ailments
physical symptoms that lack a physical basis
persistent feelings of isolation and loneliness
prolonged sadness
sexual difficulties
20. Risk factors
o Some therapists are not helping patients recover repressed memories. Instead, they are planting
'false memories' into their patients' minds.
o Ignored individual differences
o It depend on therapist subjectivity interpretation.
21. Criticisms of Psychoanalysis
Critics of psychoanalysis contend it is unscientific,
imprecise, and subjective
They assert concepts such as id, ego, and superego
are not linked to reality
They also object to the idea we are driven toward
hedonistic goals
22. Criticisms of Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis has certain inherent disadvantages
◦ The patient must be highly motivated and
articulate
◦ It is also typically extremely expensive
◦ Many people cannot afford the time or money
for this type of treatment
