Feuds Ideas and Neo Freudian
Formal and informal support is critical in the development of an individual. The formal support is services that include trained professionals who are usually paid for what they do. However, informal support is offered by the community and the social network. Many psychologists have been determined to study the influence of both the internal and external environment on mental illness. The analysis will focus on finding the similarities and the differences among the Freud’s ideas as well as those of neo Freudians and how they can be used in psychiatric mental health nursing practice
Freud, who was the founding father of Psychoanalysis, a technique for treating mental illnesses and a theory that explains human behaviour, came out with highly controversial ideas but attracted many followers. Most of his followers modified the ideas to create new theories about personality. In this case, the referred theorists are the neo-Freudians who generally agreed with many of Freud’s ideas regarding the psychoanalytic theory but changed and adapted the approach to incorporate their opinions, ideas, and beliefs (Talvitie, 2018). However, despite them adopting the approach of combining their ideas, the neo-Freudians agreed with Freud’s concept of the unconscious mind and the importance of early childhood, and they both come out with various similar ideas. One of the similarities between Freud and neo-Freudians was talk therapy, the notion that talks about people’s problems and how they can be alleviated. The similarities between the two can be used in psychiatric mental health nursing practices.
The idea of talk therapy, which is a similarity among the two, can be used in psychiatric mental health nursing practices because it may help improve patients when they talk to a therapist. Also, through psychoanalytic therapy, the ideas can be used to help patients better understand the unconscious forces that play a role in the current thoughts, behaviours and emotions. According to Freud’s theory, a mental disorder is triggered when the ego is incapable of maintaining control of the id and super-ego when their impulses are too strong, an imbalance that he believes to be caused by the early childhood trauma (Carveth, 2018). Therefore, agreeing on understanding the importance of early childhood can be used in psychiatric mental health nursing practice while making decisions regarding the treatment process.
One of the theorists who breaks away from Freud was known as Alfred Alder. He then founded the individual psychology focused on the drive to compensate emotions and feelings such as inferiority. He proposed that an inferior complex individual is an individual who feels that they lack worth and are not up to the standards for the standards which are set in the society (Kring & Johnson, 2018). Indeed, the thinking of Alder represents one of the key differences in the thinking of Freud. Notably, Freud believed that an individual is triggered by the aggressive sexual urges that Freud believes that the feelings of inferiority in their childhood period is what drives an individual to focus on gaining superiority, which is the force behind all the behaviours and the emotions.
Besides, other thinkers disagreed with Freud’s unconscious mind concepts and its significance in early childhood. For instance, Carl Jung, who was once close friends, broke to form his ideas. According to Hercelinskyj & Alexander, 2019, Jung referred to his concept of personality as analytical psychology and went ahead to introduce the concept of the collective unconscious. He explained this to be a universal structure shared by all the members of similar species containing the archetypes and the instincts that impact human behaviour. Besides, he emphasized the unconsciousness concept, although his approach was concentrated in the collective unconsciousness than the personal unconscious. Indeed, just as many of the neo Freudians, Jung did not concentrate on sex in his work compared to Freud.
Moreover, while Freud believed that personality was set the early childhood, Erikson suggested that individual development was throughout in life (Lothane,2018). The psychologist also noted that conflicts were unconscious but emphasized that many disputes were conscious and were from the development itself. Besides, he notes that sex was not a motivator for behaviour, but he placed motivation on social relations. The psychologist provided an eight-stage approach to psychosocial development that emphasizes the development of conflicts that occur in an individual’s lifespan. Indeed, in every stage of life, people face a crisis that should be resolved to develop specific psychological strengths.
Notably, neo Freudians ideas are critical in psychiatric mental health nursing practice. First, the Jung approach, which disagreed with Freud’s theory of unconscious mind, introduced the concept of collective unconsciousness, which can be critical in helping people realize the importance of taking care of others’ mental care for their excellent. Indeed, there are many stressors in the wake of the new technology, which means it is critical to support each other for the right mental health. Although Freud noted the influence of the unconscious mind, especially in early childhood, it is essential to accept that the environment affects the mind. Today’s focus should be on providing a friendly environment to the patients so as the present stressors in society can be reduced.
In the case of conflicts, Erikson’s approach can be used in mental health as he notes that many disputes were conscious and were from the development itself. As such, the focus should on training the patients on developing an ability to control emotions such as anger. It is time to focus on teaching the communities on the need to be aware of their feelings and how they can ensure the emotions are not leading them into conflicts. Besides, Erickson’s concept that sex is not a motivator for behaviour, but the motivation is on social relations should be used in mental health. The focus will be on promoting the essential right social relations improve mental health while disregarding sex.
In conclusion, both Freud and neo-Freudians can be used in mental health practice as they are critical in understanding mental health can be approached. The concept of talk therapy, which is agreed between the two, can be applied in psychiatric mental health nursing practices. Indeed, It can help in improving the patient’s condition when they talk to a therapist. Also, through psychoanalytic therapy, the ideas can be used to help patients better understand the unconscious forces that play a role in the current thoughts, behaviours and emotions. However, a difference such as the Jung approach that disagreed with Freud’s theory of unconscious mind and introduced the concept of collective unconsciousness can be used in mental health where the patients are engaged in helping others. Therefore, the assessment of Freud and neo-Freudians is critical in mental health practice as it can help find the best approach in assisting the mental health patients.
References
Hercelinskyj, G. J., & Alexander, L. (2019). Mental Health Nursing: Applying Theory to Practice. Cengage AU.
Lothane, H. Z. (2018, October). Emotional reality in Freud and Sullivan: Discussion of Dr. Sandra Buechler’s paper. In International Forum of Psychoanalysis (Vol. 27, No. 4, pp. 201-206). Routledge.
Kring, A. M., & Johnson, S. L. (2018). Abnormal psychology: The science and treatment of psychological disorders. John Wiley & Sons.
Carveth, D. L. (2018). Psychoanalytic Thinking: A Dialectical Critique of Contemporary Theory and Practice. Routledge.
Talvitie, V. (2018). Freudian unconscious and cognitive neuroscience: From unconscious fantasies to neural algorithms. Routledge.