Outline and Evaluate the Psychodynamic Approach to Psychopathology
Outline and Evaluate the psychodynamic approach to psychopathy The psychodynamic approach believes that mental disorders have psychological, not physical causes and underlying psychological conflicts of which they are unaware. Freud's psychodynamic approach states that mental illnesses are the result of unresolved childhood conflicts. These conflicts occur between the id which is present at birth and seeks immediate gratification by operating with the "pleasure" principle, the ego, which develops after around one year as a consequence of experiencing reality and is therefore rational. Lastly, the superego develops after around 3-6 years and is the sense of right and wrong and strives for the idea behaviour. The conflict occurs because they each represent different motives and this conflict causes the individual to experience anxiety. In order to relieve this anxiety, ego defences such as repression (moving unpleasant thoughts into the unconscious), projection (blaming someone else for something a child can not deal with) and regression (behaving like a child) are used. However, if overused, these defences can cause disturbed behaviour. Early experiences can also cause mental disorders because in childhood, the ego is not developed enough to be able to deal with traumas, such as the death of a parent, leading to a repression of the associated emotions. Later in life, further
What is Hypnosis?
This essay will start off with a definition of “what is hypnosis?” I will then look at the brief history of hypnosis and go into describing the various psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis. I will conclude the essay by discussing the role of relaxation in hypnotherapy. “Hyp-no-sis: is defined as an artificially induced trance state resembling sleep, characterized by heightened susceptibility to suggestion. (Fritscher 2009). (Waterfield 2002) defines it as magnetism (de Puysegur, etc.), monoideism (Braid), a form of sleep (Liebeault, Vogt, etc), nothing but a state of passive suggestibility, with selective attention and reduced planning function (Bernheim, Gauld), hysteria (Charcot), a form of dissociation (Janet, Myers, James Sidis, Prince, Hilgard, etc), a loving, possibly Oedipal, relationship with the therapist (Freud, Ferenczi), a state of inhibition between sleep and wakefulness (Pavlov), nothing but task-motivation (early Barber), nothing but a goal-directed, role-playing fantasy (White, Spanos, Sarbin and Coe), activation of the implicit memory system (Spiegel). Hypnosis has been practised for hundreds of years; however it was only brought to the western world by Franz Anton Mesmer (1733-1815). (Waterfield 2002) In the early 1770s Mesmer’s patient Francisca Oesterlin went to him suffering from, “In Mesmer’s own words, from ‘constant
War Story
War Story We painfully await our fate. Looking to my left I see men heaped over each other bent double, like old beggars, they're coughing like hags. Many of them sleep; their expressionless faces haunt my once peaceful mind. They look as though they had been wiped of any feelings of security and comfort that they had ever had. Even if they survived, would it be worth it? As I look to my right I see men who are similar to me, they find it impossible to rest in such a calamitous situation. Some busy themselves by cleaning themselves up or they just stare into the sky, they will be asking themselves; is that where I will be soon? Soon they will find out as our providence awaits us just over the hill. In awe we watch the extensive grass churn and swirl by the May zephyr. The sudden draught makes some men jump alert from their slumber, like a cat on hot bricks, which is a shame because only in their dreams can they truly be at peace. My eyes fix against a single grain of grass as I ponder about my family. What are they doing now? If I hadn't of recruited what would I be doing? Am I ever going to see them again? Tears fill my eyes; I wake from my daze as the salty tears start to hit my dry, chapped lips. For hours I pace the field, I know that I need to rest, I crave to dream of my family, they're my only encouraging thought at the moment. I'm so exhausted; sleep takes me and
Why do the Poor Relation and Walter Mitty choose to escape from reality in the way they do? How successful are they?
Why do the Poor Relation and Walter Mitty choose to escape from reality in the way they do? How successful are they? Michael, in the Poor Relation's story, escapes from his reality and lives in life where he has no regrets and where everything has happened the way he wanted it to. Walter Mitty on the other hand escapes into a reality where he is not a shy, incompetent man, but a hero in many aspects of life. In this world of his he is respected and brave. Michael seems to be an escapist because it is a better life and he can forget about his poverty; Walter does it to seem a better man in his own eyes and to get away from his bossy, inconsiderate wife. Michael lives in the 19th century where poverty is rife in England and does not have a job, L. 38 'on pretence of going to business, L. 44 'I get through the day'. We learn he is 'unbusiness-like'. We can see how he is poor as he names prices showing he worries over having too little money, For example on L. 45 'of one and threepence'. On the other hand Walter Mitty lives in the 1940's where he has a home and car and does not feel poverty and does not starve. He has a home and wife and a puppy. Buying things is not such a problem, L. 91 'weekly trips to town'. He seems to live the life of the post-war USA 'The American Dream' of prosperity and ownership. This shows us that men of their type can exist regardless of
Why do we dream?
Why do we dream? There have been several different theories put forward as to the reasons why we dream. One of the most famous was put forward by 'Freud' [1901]. Freud argued that a dream is a psychic safety valve, that harmlessly discharges otherwise unacceptable feelings. According to Freud, a dreams manifest content is a censored symbolic version of its deeper x-rated, latent content, which consists of drives and wishes that would be threatening if expressed directly. Although most dreams do not have overt sexual imagery, Freud believed that most dreams of adults are traced back by analysis to 'erotic wishes'. In Freud's view, a gun for example might actually be a disguised representation of the penis, and a dream in which a person is being robbed at gunpoint, might be seen as expressing a wish for sexual surrender. Although Freud considered dreams the key to understanding the individual's inner conflicts. Many of his critics believe that dream interpretation leads down a blind alley. Some say that even if dreams are symbolic, they can be interpreted almost any way a person wishes. Others say that there is nothing hidden in dreams. Several alternatives to Freud's theory of dreams have been offered. One of these sees dreams in terms of 'information processing' functions. Dreams may help sift, sort and fix in memory, our days experiences. Following stressful experiences or
Why do we Dream?
Why do we Dream? It has been said by researchers that everyone dreams during sleep and it is thought to be a universal psychical feature of our human lives. However, many of us are unable to recall vividly what happens throughout our dreams, if anything at all. Due to this clouded unique nature that is dreaming, most of the knowledge why we dream is largely inconclusive. Nonetheless, after many years of theoretical debate on the subject, three arguments have remained prominent of which I will I will be discussing. Perhaps the most renowned theory of dreaming comes from the famous psychologist, Dr Sigmund Freud. He proposed that our dreams were likened to a 'royal road' (Plotnik 2005) to our unconscious thoughts and desires. In this uninhibited environment, Freud claimed that our secret inner thoughts were displayed in the form of symbols that represented our hidden 'desires, needs, defences, fears, and emotions' (Plotnik 2005). Freud believed we could confront these wants without the anxiety or embarrassment that the conscious world would provoke, due to the protective censors of dreaming, allowing us to be undisturbed when sleeping. Similarly it's been found that this theory of instinctive behaviour is a form of 'searching self-analysis' (Sharpe 1937) in which people can through unravelling unconscious taboos in the real world, experience them freely in their dreams. Freud
