How useful is the psychoanalti
How useful is the psychoanaltiHow useful is the psychoanalytic perspective on psychopathology? Does it explain everything or nothing?
The psychoanalytic perspective is a branch of many different perspectives, models or paradigms in the field of psychopathology. If we take the definition of psychopathology, �psychopathology is the study of mental disorders from all aspects� (The Macmillan dictionary of psychology), it defines psychopathology as a study of mental disorders from all aspects. What other aspects or perspectives are there?
The four main perspectives or paradigms are as follows. The biological paradigm, this focuses on the concept that disorders are caused by aberrant somatic, biological or bodily process, it is also referred to as the medical or diseases modal. Secondly is the learning or behaviour paradigm, this view focuses on the way that abnormal behaviour is learnt in the same way as human behaviour. Thirdly is the cognitive paradigm, cognition defined as an individuals thoughts, knowledge, interpretation, understanding or ideas and this paradigm focuses on how a persons past experience stored in memory, relates to their current experiences together with how they structure and make sense of them.
Lastly is the psychoanalytical. This will be reviewed in greater depth later. There are many others paradigms in the field of psychopathology such as, conspirational model, sociotherapeutic, family interaction, moral and psychedelic models.
There are many different psychoanalytic techniques, which would take a whole essay solely reviewing them. This is why in this essay I will be concentrating on the fundamental theories created by Sigmund Freud of which all psychoanalytic techniques have their fundamental basis in.
Freud�s classical psychoanalytic theory viewed the structure of the minds' psyche in three major parts, the id, ego and super ego. Which he termed as the �Mental Apparatus�. These parts together became the persons whole.
The id is the basic animal instincts of the person. Because it has its own source of energy it has no need for external influences, therefore it exists for instinct gratification of itself. Freud termed this as the pleasure principle. These urges consisted of the need for food, water, elimination, warmth, affection and sex. Freud called this energy the libido of which, we are not meant to be aware of.
The mental apparatus responsible for dealing with reality is the ego. The Ego attempts to meet the needs of the id�s pleasure principle while avoiding anxiety provoking situations or situations that is not effective in its quest to maintain life, Freud termed this as the reality principle.
The superego is the best thought as, forming the conscience. It develops through interacting with its emotional surroundings, usually the parents. While the ego tries to meet the demands of the id, the superego rewards and punishes the ego for its ability to avoid anxieties surfacing from the subconscious.
There will be inevitable conflicts between the id and the superego of which, the conflicts unresolved-able by the ego be placed into the unconsciousness. When the...
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