Sigmund Freud is one of the most influential people in psychology ever. With his development in psychoanalysis, Freud went on to discover therapeutic strategies like free association. This choice of therapy, helps patients dig deep, and understand repressed and ignored thoughts in the unconscious mind. Along with this strategy, Freud split this idea into 3three levels, in the human psyche. The Id is the deepest level /impulsive part in the brain. It responds to instincts, without considering immediate consequences directly after. The Ego serves as the mediator between the id and Superego (which strives to follow the rules of society/doing the right thing). Sigmund also analyzed dreams to understand latent and manifest content in the unconscious mind. He believed that dreams had a sexual meaning to them. He later went on to create the Psychosexual Stages of Development. This theory included: the oral stage, anal stage, phallic stage, latency stage, and the genital stage. This is the theory by Sigmund Freud, that I disagree with the most.In the Oral Stage, Freud claims that children 0-1 years old have fixations at the mouth. In the next stage (Anal Stage), children 18-36 months have pleasure in their bowel, and bladder control. I disagree with this quotient entirely because it’s not completely dependent on this. He claimed, based on Homepages.rpi.edu, that “children associate both praise and criticism with the withholding of release of body waste.” This statement shows his lack of understanding of what a parent is there for. Parents coach their children to use the bathroom, and wheather they are praised or not, they will release their waste regardless. The Phallic Stage is the most outlandish, idea proposed by Freud. He believes in this stage that children between the ages of 3-6, grow a fascination with theire genitals (hensce masterbation) and grow “penis envy” ( girls who are mad they don't have a penis). The Latency Stage is an outrageous claim made by this psychologist, that boys grow strong feeling for their mother and want to kill their fathers. Girls feel the same way in this period of “life” explained by Freud. Lastly, the Genital Stage is pretty self explanatory, sexual impulses/energy, are increased in this time period. Not only did Freud have a huge impact in the field of therapy, but his view on psychological disorders was an interesting one.
Freud’s contribution to mental health was one that will go down in psychology history. He became addicted to cocaine during the 1800’s, which is when it wasn’t deemed dangerous and illegal. He began using the drug as a method of research on this drug, on minor surgeries. He introduced the drug to his friend, who later became addicted to it also. His friend named Ernst began using the drug because of his injured thumb from dissecting a dead body, in his profession. Not only cocaine but morphine as well. Freud became so addicted, he began having hallucinations (those, someone with mental health experience). Sigmund often had fears of dying, other exaggerated phobias, and even-related to his psychosexual stages of development theory- -had sexual feeling for his mother. He often dove into his discoveries and theories by assessing his own dreams, childhood memories, and personality development.