Pioneering Contributions- The Impact of Sigmund Freud on Psychology and Integrative Medicine
One of psychology’s most influential figures is Sigmund Freud. Freud was a neurologist who had a keen interest in patients suffering from neurosis and hysteria. He posited that the majority of the problems experienced by his patients emanated from the unconscious mind. Freud believed that the unconscious mind stored urges and feelings that individuals were unaware of. Therefore, resolving the patients’ experienced problems would be possible by gaining access to the unconscious mind. One could access the unconscious mind by examining supposedly innocent tongue slips, the first words that came into the minds of individuals, and dream analysis (Bowley, 2021). These findings gave rise to the psychoanalytic theory that focuses on an individual’s unconscious mind and their early childhood experiences. This perspective has been dominant in the field of clinical psychology for several years now.
The theories of Sigmund Freud have greatly shaped individuals’ views of childhood, memory, therapy, sexuality, and personality (Cherry, 2020). The psychoanalytic theory posits that psychological and emotional problems like anxiety and depression are deeply founded on the conflicts existing between the unconscious and conscious mind. The theory also suggests that early childhood events majorly influence personality development. These perspectives have helped therapists and psychologists, in general, to find ways of managing various psychological problems that an individual experiences. For instance, in the management of depression, a psychoanalyst can use talk therapy to explore the feelings, reactions, and patterns of behaviors. Once these are identified, it will be easier for one to have better control over their behaviors and emotions. Additionally, talk therapy has been considered effective in managing various mental health problems like anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorders like depression.
References
Bowley, C. (2021). PSY 101: Introductory Psychology OER Curation. Pressbooks.
Cherry, K. (2020). The Influence of Psychoanalysis on the Field of Psychology. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-psychoanalysis-2795246
ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE
We’ll write everything from scratch
Question
discussion questions should be 150-300 words, and resources must be cited using APA formatting.
Discussion 1 – research and report on a key figure in psychology research. Explain why their work is relevant to the field and integrative medicine.