Source: The Conversation
Even if you’re not into psychology or the mechanics of the mind, you must’ve, at some point, heard of Freud or at least his psychoanalysis theories. He was one of the most influential as well as controversial figures in the field of psychology after all. Sigmund Freud founded psychoanalysis, a method for the treatment of mental disorders through interaction between a patient and a psychoanalyst.
The Unconscious Mind
Although Sigmund Freud did not originate the concept of the conscious vs unconscious mind, he was instrumental in popularising it, and this was one of his major contributions to psychology. Freud introduced his “first topographical model of the mind” in his work ‘The Unconscious’ (1915), in which he characterized the form and function of the mind.
Source: The Medium
The three levels of the mind were described by Freud using the image of an iceberg. On the surface, there is consciousness, which is made up of the thoughts that are currently occupying our attention, and this is regarded to be the tip of the iceberg. The preconscious/subconscious is made up of everything that can be recalled.
The unconscious is the third and most important part. Here are the mechanisms that are at the root of the majority of human behavior. The most significant part of the mind, like an iceberg, is the part you can't see. The unconscious mind serves as a 'cauldron' of primal desires and impulses that are kept at bay and mediated by the preconscious mind.
Freud (1915) observed that some experiences and desires were too unpleasant or traumatic for his patients to admit, and he felt that such information was hidden in the unconscious mind. This can come as a result of the repression process. The central idea of Freud’s theory is that the unconscious mind influences our behavior to a larger extent than one might believe.
The Psyche: Freud’s Second Model of the Mind
Source: Wikipedia
Later in his work The Ego and the Id (1923), he constructed a more structured model of the mind that included the id, ego, and superego (dubbed "the psychic apparatus" by Freud). These aren't actual brain divisions, but rather hypothetical representations of critical psychological processes.
The id, ego, and superego are three key elements of the personality. The id is governed by the pleasure principle (gratification from satisfying basic instincts) and operates at an unconscious level. It comprises two primary instincts (or drives)- Eros and Thanatos.
Source: Verywell Mind
Eros: Also known as the life instinct, is a survival instinct that controls life-sustaining actions including breathing, feeding, and sex. Libido is the energy produced by life instinct.
Thanatos: This is the death instinct and is considered a set of destructive energies. Aggressive behavior is the result of this energy being projected outward onto others. Eros, according to Freud, is more powerful than Thanatos, allowing people to endure rather than self-destruct.
Then we have the superego. This is governed by the morality principle and is in charge of upholding moral standards. The ego develops from the id. It is governed by the reality principle and is responsible for meeting the demands of the id and superego in a rational and socially reasonable manner. It is both conscious and unconscious and is considered to be the “self”, as termed by Freud.
Source: Verywell Mind
For example, if you wanted to eat ice cream and saw a person with ice cream, your id will want to snatch that ice cream without caring if it's rude or not, but your superego will say that it's wrong. So, your ego will come to solve the conflict between them and decide to buy your own ice cream since that is what you should do realistically.
Defense Mechanisms
Source: Verywell Mind
The id, ego, and superego, according to Freud, are constantly at odds because each has a distinct primary objective. When a person's ego senses that the conflict is too much for them to manage, defense mechanisms may be activated to protect the individual.
Repression: The ego employs repression as an unconscious mechanism to prevent upsetting or frightening thoughts from surfacing.
Denial: Denial is the act of obstructing awareness of upsetting or overwhelming experiences. If a situation is too much for a person to handle, he or she will simply refuse to acknowledge or believe it.
Projection: The ego tries to alleviate suffering by blaming another person for the individual's undesirable thoughts, feelings, and motives.
Displacement: The individual will try to satisfy his impulse, like aggression, by displacing it onto a substitute object or person. For example, someone who is frustrated by their boss, may go home and kick the dog or take it out on their spouse or children.
Regression: To deal with anxiety or stress, the individual goes backward in psychological development as a defense strategy. For example, an overwhelmed adult might begin to act like a child.
Sublimation: This defense mechanism is similar to displacement. Here, too, the individual will gratify an impulse by acting on a substitute object or person but in a socially acceptable manner. For example, getting into sports to channel your aggression into something constructive.
Summing Up
Freud's views were so influential in psychology that they spawned an entire school of thinking. Psychoanalysis had a lasting influence on psychology and psychotherapy, even if it was finally supplanted by behaviorism. To achieve catharsis, psychoanalysis attempted to bring the unconscious into conscious awareness. This catharsis was an emotional release that could help people who were suffering from mental illness.
Written By - Sanjana Chaudhary
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