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Written by: A. L. Lucino, M.D.,M.A., Ph.D-c
Doctoral response essay
Historical Systems In Medical Psychiatry


There is a clear dichotomy between existential psychology and psychoanalysis that is utilized by a psychodynamic psychologist. Existential psychology deals with the belief that there is an inner conflict within a person and this is due to the inner conflict, confrontation due to existence. The four givens as explained in existential psychology are: death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness.  Problems arise because people generally want to have a meaning in their lives or in other’s lives. Psychopathologies arise because of the inability to deal with the anxiety that arises due to the givens (Hergenhahn, 2009).

A Freudian therapist who specializes in psychoanalysis is trained identifying the factors that cause the intrapsychic tension in individuals and as a result of this tension have caused the abnormality in behavior and cognition (Hergenhahn, 2009). The goal in psychoanalysis is to identify the conflict between the conscious and the unconscious that results in mental disturbances and to release this said intrapsychic tension (Hergenhahn, 2009) and to identify the irrational drives, which are unconscious (Zaretsky, 2013).

To address the situation of a patient having anxiety, the existential psychologist and the psychoanalyst would address the issue and treat it in different perspectives. The existential psychologist would stress the importance of making changes in the present and make behavioral changes to effect the future (Hergenhahn, 2009). The psychoanalyst, however, would be different because he would follow the tenets of psychoanalytic psychotherapy and would do everything to identify the past insult, a specific time and action that caused the psychological injury, and by doing this, can lead to the release of the intrapsychic tension. An article written by Espinoza (2010) discussed the techniques of psychotherapy and how it has shaped understanding of human behavior, disorders of behavior and how these disorders can be corrected by going back to earlier moments in time , identifying the past insult. There are benefits in identifying the past stressor in effective remuneration of the mental strain.

The identification of the stressor leads to cognitive behavioral change, and thus, effect psychodynamic change on patient cognitive pathology. The treatment plan, through psychoanalytic psychotherapy, can lead to the extinction of abnormal cognition and mental strain. One should also take into consideration the necessity of psychotropic medication for individuals who are refractory to said therapeutic processes.


Reference:

Espinoza, R. (2010). Is Psychoanalysis a Humanism? Notes about Jacques Lacan's Seminar XVII: "The Other Side of Psychoanalysis.". Interdisciplinary Humanities, 27(1), 28-36.

Zaretsky, E. (2013). Review of 'After Freud left: A century of psychoanalysis in America'. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 30(1), 116-119. doi:10.1037/a0031372


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