Who was Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud is perhaps the most popular name in psychology and also the most controversial. This Austrian Neuropsychologist, founder of Psychoanalysis was one of the major intellectual figures of the 20th century.

The Childhood of  Sigmund Freud

Freud was born on May 6, 1856, in Freiberg, Moravia, which was then a part of the Austrian Empire. He was one of the 8 children of his parents. From an early age, it was quite apparent that Sigmund was highly intelligent . He excelled in his school subjects and his parents provided all the education that they could afford within their means. Freud was a sensitive child which comes with being highly intelligent in many cases.

Sigmund Freud Theory

He was trained as a Neurologist in Vienna. Thereafter he qualified as a doctor of medicine in 1881, after which he worked and gained respect as a physician. In 1885 Freud went to Paris in order to study with Jean-Martin Charcot. The work of Jean Martin on hysteria led Freud to believe and conclude that the causes of mental disorders might be purely psychological rather than simply organic factors.

Sigmund Freud Psychoanalytic Theory

In 1886, he returned to Vienna and collaborated with the physician Josef Breuer (1842–1925) in further studies on hysteria. This collaboration resulted in the development of some key psychoanalytic concepts and techniques, the unconscious, resistance (which was later called defense mechanisms), and neurosis.

Sigmund Freud Contribution to Psychology

Subsequently in the year 1899, based on his studies and research, he published “The Interpretation of Dreams”, wherein he analyzed the complex symbolic processes underlying dream formation. Freud proposed that dreams are the disguised expression of unconscious wishes.

Sigmund Freud Psychosexual Stages

In his controversial Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, published in 1905, he delineated the complicated stages of psychosexual development (oral, anal, and phallic) and the formation of the Oedipus complex. While World War I was going on, he devoted his time to research and he wrote several papers that clarified his understanding of the relations between the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind and their workings of ego and superego. Freud’s work was groundbreaking for its time.   Amongst his many works are Totem and Taboo (1913), Beyond the Pleasure Principle (1920), The Future of an Illusion (1927), and Civilization and Its Discontents (1930).

Sigmund Freud Theory of Id, Ego, and Super Ego

The id, inner self, and superego are known as the three parts of the character. The id shows itself from the moment one is conceived. It is the part of character that is spoiled and yet to be developed. While this part of the character is very significant during the early stages after birth as the child can get their requirements met. In the event that it isn’t conquered it can turn out to be socially devastating as the individual becomes much older and becomes grown-up.

The self-image manages reality. According to Freud, the inner self creates from the id and guarantees that the driving forces of the id can be acceptable in the real world. The id and the self-image are connected yet the self-image attempts to fulfill the necessities of the id in more mature and acceptable way.

The superego is the last piece of character. “The superego is the part of the character that holds our assimilated moral norms in general and goals that we get from the two guardians and society- – our feeling of good and bad. The superego gives rules to making judgments. The superego is likewise associated with the id and the inner self by smothering the needs, requirements, and ways of behaving the initial two stages. Each of the components together help in developing a working and healthy personality.

How did Sigmund Freud Die 

When the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938, Freud fled to England. Unfortunately, he died the next year on 23 Sep 1939. Sigmund Freud faced throughout his life and even afterward relentless and often compelling challenges mounted against virtually all of his ideas. Notwithstanding that Freud has remained one of the most influential figures in contemporary thought.