Resolving Problems in the Mind

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Often the problems that the clients of a psychotherapist have are not too dissimilar from those of the patients of a psychiatrist. Sometimes the difference is only one of degree. For example, two different people might feel that something is not right in their lives and might put this fact down to a bad relationship with a parent-t-sometimes physical or sexual abuse might be involved-but it is the extent to which this has affected the individual and what he or she decides to do about it that makes the difference.

One may become completely obsessed with the problem-something like the death of a parent, or the birth of a child may set this off. His or her mind ceases to be able to function in the way it normally does, and he or she becomes mentally ill. Medical help has to be sought, and the general practitioner recommends referral to a psychiatrist.

Another person who has much the same problem may not be mentally affected by it to nearly the same extent but may be conscious of the effect it is having on his or her life-perhaps he or she is having difficulties in forming lasting relationships. The person realizes that help must be sought and thinks of psychotherapy.

Psychoanalysis The basis of modern psychoanalysis and psychotherapy goes back to the Austrian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud, the originator of psychoanalysis. The disciplines seek to tap into the subconscious of the individual undergoing analysis or therapy and to release any hidden fears and to unblock any repressed emotions. By these means, people seek to discover more about themselves.

The major difference between psychoanalysis and psychotherapy is that, as the name suggests, the latter seeks to heal. The suppressed fears and emotions that emerge from analysis are not an end in themselves but a means by which the healing process may begin. By unblocking the subconscious, the therapist tries to help the client towards a better understanding of himself or herself and to help him or her cope more effectively with life in the light of this understanding.

The psychoanalytic technique originated at the start of the 20th century with Freud's treatment of hysteria . With his collaborator, Austrian neurologist Josef Breuer, he hypnotised Ms patients to analyse their subconscious minds. Later on, in collaboration with Jean Martin Charcot he was able to access the subconscious in the normal waking state through a method called free association, where the patient was allowed to say whatever came into his or her mind, sometimes giving important clues to painful and poignant memories, through resistance-the points at which he or she changed the topic or forgot what they were trying to say.

Freud theorised that neuroses are caused by repressed sexual urges and these could be interpreted through the analysis of dream symbols. The symbol itself is the manifest content, what the symbol really represents is known as the latent content, and it is this latent content that the dream interpreter seeks to find.

Genuine self-discovery can only be achieved when the patient rids him or herself of the repressive forces that keep emotional insights locked safely away. Freud had the theory of catharsis-the recovery of certain repressed memories bringing with them a host of associated strong emotions. But the benefits of such retrieval of emotions in such a manner was thought to have dubious benefits and such emotional releases are thought to have only a temporary therapeutic effect.

Modern versions of psychoananlysis still use tecniques that originated with Freud at least in part, with rather less emphasis on the psychosexual element that dominates Freud's theories.