**\#️⃣ Tags:** #Person #Psychology  --- Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis which was, at the time, a revolutionary approach to understanding the human mind and treating psychological disorders. His work introduced foundational concepts such as the unconscious mind, psychosexual development, and [[Defence Mechanisms]], which still contributes to and shapes modern psychology and psychotherapy today. Freud’s most famous contribution is probably his concept of the unconscious. He believed that much of what drives human thought and behaviour lies buried beneath conscious awareness—hidden desires, fears, and conflicts that we’re not even aware of. To uncover these mysteries, Freud developed tools like free association and dream analysis, which he famously referred to as the "royal road to the unconscious." In his theory of psychosexual development, Freud proposed that personality evolves through stages—oral, anal, phallic, latent, and genital—each associated with specific conflicts. He suggested that unresolved issues during these stages could later show up in life as emotional or relational struggles. Along with his exploration of [[Defence Mechanisms]], he built a framework for understanding how we protect ourselves from internal conflict and anxiety. Freud also [[Freud's Psyche|segmented the Psyche into three elements]]: the id (primitive instincts), ego (rational self), and superego (moral conscience). His model outlined the dynamic interplay of internal forces and how they produce anxiety, which the ego manages using defence mechanisms like [[Publish/Elements/Dictionary/Repression|Repression]], denial, and projection. Freud’s legacy lies in his innovative methods and theories, which revolutionised the understanding of human behaviour. While his work has faced criticism for its lack of empirical evidence and perceived overemphasis on sexuality, Freud's ideas paved the way for various schools of thought, including psychodynamic therapy, Jungian psychology, and [[Object Relations]] theory. Although when people first think of Psychology they usually immediately think of Freud, he didn't work alone. He collaborated with other well known figures in the field like [[Carl Jung]], [[Alfred Adler]] and [[Wilhelm Reich]] which were massively impactful—until they weren't. Jung rejected Freud’s fixation on sexuality and instead leant into ideas like the collective unconscious and archetypes, while Adler took a more socially driven approach to human behaviour. While Freud’s theories have been criticised for their lack of scientific rigour and heavy focus on sexuality, his impact on psychology and psychoanalysis will last forever. Beyond psychology, Freud’s legacy is woven into literature, art, and philosophy, and his influence can still be felt in modern psychotherapy, especially within psychodynamic approaches. # Library - [[On Narcissism — An Introduction by Sigmund Freud]]