Neuroses in Psychoanalysis by Erich Fromm - Essay Example

In the process, it shall try to assess the theory through the commentaries and works of other analysts and gain an understanding of the pioneer’s work in psychoanalysis.   Neuroses in Psychoanalysis Neurosis denotes an array of mental disorders typically manifested by depression, abnormal worries, and irritability. According to psychodynamic theory, neurosis is the manifestation of one's attempts to ignore unconscious conflicts (Ricker 2006).  Before Freud doctors and analysts believed that neuroses - mental disorders like depression, and excessive anxiety were due to heredity. However, detailed investigations led Freud to believe that it was the malfunction of sexual instincts of childhood or adulthood that was at the bottom of neuroses, "there are grounds for regarding the neurosis as an acquired one, careful inquiry directed to that end reveals that a set of coxae and influences from sexual life are the operative aetiological factors" (Standard Edition, 1905 3: 99).  Though some cause like emotional imbalances, physical tiredness, and stressful mishaps, other acute illnesses were more prominent, they were only secondary reasons for neurosis. According to Fine (1962) "Freud's thought in the 1890's centers around one major clinical observation: Neurosis involves a defense against unbearable ideas." (p.12)    Construction of Neurosis Using the concept of inner conflict, which is central to all psychoanalysis, Freud observed two distinct processes, the dominant one that propelled towards immediate release, and the other secondary one that tried to keep things under check and control; these he later named ‘ego and id’ (Fine, 1962:13). Freud states that, "The tension between the harsh super-ego and the ego that is subjected to it, is called by us the sense of guilt; it expresses itself as a need for punishment" (Civilization and Its Discontents, 1962: 70). Fine observes the accuracy of Freud’s analyses as "the primary and secondary processes, the main trend and the compromise trend of the nervous system, the two biological rules of attention and defense, the indications of quality, reality, and thought, the state of the psycho-sexual group, the sexual determination of repression, and, finally, the factors determining consciousness as a perceptual function" (Fine, 1962:10).    The essay titled "Sexual Aberrations" in the three essays that explicate Freud’s The Theory of Sexuality (1905) states that "the tension" created by the conflict, was "to be relieved the libido needs an object" and the object may be anything, including "male and female genitals" (Fordham, 1992:11-12). The ego is introduced through the introduction of an inner conflict – which sets in motion the ‘anxiety’. In neurotics, however, when the vision of the object is lost, it is perceived as the loss of the object itself, the imaginary sense of loss is thus, slightly more exaggerated. When loss becomes ‘unbearable’; the ego can keep alive this perceived loss in short, he explored the conflict as two sides with the defense idea on one side and the ‘unbearable’ idea on the other. And from his investigations, he understood that the ‘unbearable’ idea mostly involved the past of the neurotic patient, rather than a happening of the present (Fine, 1962:10).    Repression and Hysteria  Fordham observes that "Freud had extensive evidence from the psychoanalysis of the neuroses, especially hysteria and the obsessional neuroses, in which he discovered the so-called perversions that had become repressed." (1998:12). Furthermore, for Freud, the concept of "repression," was very important to his psychoanalysis. Thus, when desires are pushed to the bottom unfulfilled, they cause distress. The desires are primarily quelled because of the fear that seeking to fulfill them may lead to more distress than resisting them.  However, they do not disappear. These unfulfilled desires, as seen above are kept alive and seek some outlet, even as they are refused. Kenneth Levin elucidates further, "Neuroses emerge, according to the new theory, because the repression of abnormally intense infantile impulses is only partially effective and such impulses eventually find expression in the form of neurotic symptoms" (cited in Plunka 2000:4). While obsessional neurosis and hysteria are the two main forms of neurosis, and while the former concerns obsessive actions and rituals, hysteria is more of a woman’s condition, and includes paralyzes, pain and the like symptoms which are for a major part imagined (Boeree, 2006).     Read More