Sigmund Freud Born in 1856 in Freiburg, Austria Moved to Vienna around 1860 First of eight children by his mother. Favored child Mother and he idolized one another Entered University of Vienna at age 17 to become a professor of neurology

Sigmund Freud Met Dr. Joseph Breuer Learned of Breuer’s work with Annie O. Diagnosed with hysteria (modern day conversion disorder) Symptoms began when father died (9 months prior) Difficulty w/ speech Paralysis in extremities Disturbances of sight (tunnel vision) Dual personality Pseudocyesis (false pregnancy)

Sigmund Freud Annie O. “chimney sweeping” (catharsis) “strangulated effect” Breuer and Freud wrote book together on case Theorized that: Every hysteria is result of a traumatic experience Emotions of experience are not expressed directly but as symptoms When made aware of the meanings of symptoms, the emotions are released

Sigmund Freud Had opportunities to observe several experts using hypnosis As a result: Interest turned more toward workings of mind Behavior can be caused by ideas individual is not aware of These can be brought into consciousness

Sigmund Freud 1886: started private practice 1889: began treating Frau Emmy von N. “Quit asking questions let me say what I want to say” Seeds of using free association sewn here Began to suspect self protective deception

Sigmund Freud 1892: began seeing Elizabeth von R (Iiona Weis) Resistant to hypnotism Used “concentration technique” Developed specific ideas about the nature of resistance

Sigmund Freud Resistance: Resisted thoughts still exert unconscious pressure Resulting symptoms involved strangulated emotion Symptoms were substitute expressions of unresolved conflict Conflict had been pushed from conscious awareness because it had not been resolved (repression) Continued to be source of pain and unacceptable self perception Worried about over suggestion

Sigmund Freud Moved to free association as therapeutic technique Believed a common element among patients was the presence of erotic impulses from childhood that are frustrated or guilt ridden Proposed seduction hypothesis Children repressed feelings due to conflict and guilt Upon realizing children not physically capable proposed sequence to be: Incident > amnesia > trigger to recall @ maturity > repression > symptom formation

Sigmund Freud Abandoned seduction hypothesis: Patients revelation of this accomplished little alleviation of symptoms The unconscious cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality High improbability of universal sexual abuse Even in severe psychosis, no infantile seductions were revealed when the unconscious floods the conscious

Sigmund Freud 1897: began self psychoanalysis Uncovered a more-or-less erotic love for his mother and hostility toward father Became key to developing ideas about Oedipus complex Also had disproportionate fear of death Fear of travel

Sigmund Freud 1939: Emigrated to England just before WWII Died of cancer of mouth and jaw he suffered from for 20 years due to his addiction to nicotine