It is in this book that we are introduced to the use of psychoanalysis as a treatment for mental illness. Psychoanalysis as defined by Webster is “a method of analyzing psychic phenomena and treating emotional disorders that involves treatment sessions during which the patient is encouraged to talk freely about personal experiences and especially about early childhood and dreams” also known as the “talking cure.” Freud and Breuer shared their case studies with each other and their most fascinating cases motivated them to publish Studies on Hysteria. The first study was published by Breuer and his patient Anna O. who had symptoms of hysteria. Anna O.’s symptoms came along after her father died, which led Freud to come up with the theory that when one’s mind becomes very emotional it can cause them to get disease-like symptoms. The patient had to talk about the symptoms she was having and what was associated with them and by talking about them she would be cured of hysteria. Breuer discovered that there was always more than what we revealed from our conscious mind, the things we didn’t reveal from our unconscious mind also had a lot to do with hysteria. The use of hypnosis also became relevant during these studies to discover what we didn’t reveal from our unconscious mind. Anna O.’s case played a major role in influencing Freud, she is also known as the first patient of
It is in this book that we are introduced to the use of psychoanalysis as a treatment for mental illness. Psychoanalysis as defined by Webster is “a method of analyzing psychic phenomena and treating emotional disorders that involves treatment sessions during which the patient is encouraged to talk freely about personal experiences and especially about early childhood and dreams” also known as the “talking cure.” Freud and Breuer shared their case studies with each other and their most fascinating cases motivated them to publish Studies on Hysteria. The first study was published by Breuer and his patient Anna O. who had symptoms of hysteria. Anna O.’s symptoms came along after her father died, which led Freud to come up with the theory that when one’s mind becomes very emotional it can cause them to get disease-like symptoms. The patient had to talk about the symptoms she was having and what was associated with them and by talking about them she would be cured of hysteria. Breuer discovered that there was always more than what we revealed from our conscious mind, the things we didn’t reveal from our unconscious mind also had a lot to do with hysteria. The use of hypnosis also became relevant during these studies to discover what we didn’t reveal from our unconscious mind. Anna O.’s case played a major role in influencing Freud, she is also known as the first patient of