Freudian Slips and Psychoanalysis

The Father of Psychoanalysis – Freud and His Slip

According to some people, not only was Franz Mesmer the father of hypnosis, he was also the father of psychotherapy. You remember old Mesmer, don’t you? He of the animal magnetism and ‘universal fluid.’ ‘Respectable’ science of the day strongly disapproved of the poor old chap, although some of his cures and techniques were most effective.

Freudian Slips and Psychoanalysis

Until recent times, Freud‘s ideas on psychological theories held sway over large numbers of people. Indeed, it was virtually the case of when you said ‘Freud,’ you’d said it all.

The major problem with Freud was that all his theories were empirical. None were based on solid research nor even medical opinions of the time.

His career began on shaky ground because of a paper he wrote, glorifying the efficacy of cocaine. To him, it was a ‘cure-all,’ and would relieve various sufferers of such disparate ailments as gastric catarrh, severe vomiting, depression, indigestion and of all things, morphine addiction. He was convinced of the non-addictive qualities of cocaine.

He delighted in telling whoever would listen of the ‘gorgeous excitement’ shown by animals after being injected with the ‘magical substance.’ However, it wasn’t too long before Freud came to realize the shortcomings of the drug.

It was then that he turned his attention to hysterical and masturbatory symptoms, suggesting that nasal surgery, (for some quite unaccountable reason), would prove an effective treatment for such conditions. His approach was changed yet again when one of his female patients nearly died under the knife of a friend of his performing such surgery.

Understanding the Unconscious

He became a firm believer in the fact that a lot of our behaviour and habits are due to our unconscious mind. Now, on the face of it, this is a sensible assumption. But because his theories weren’t backed by any research, psychoanalysis cannot in truth be called a science, although there are those that still believe it is.

For example, no evidence has ever been unearthed to show that Freud’s psychoanalysis ever helped anyone, nor was it shown to be effective in the treatment of any psychological problems. A study of his theories is made all the more difficult, because he changed and modified them so frequently.

Anyway, one proposition of his was the arbitrary division of the mind into three parts; the ego, the super ego and the id. This last is present at birth, is entirely unconscious, and is responsible for the basic sexual and destructive-aggressive instincts.

Another of his alarming ideas was that little boys wanted to kill their fathers and have sex with their mothers. (Oedipus Complex).

We may thank our stars that we now live in more enlightened times.