Sigmund Freud: biography of the iconic Austrian psychoanalyst

Sigmund Freud he was an important Austrian neurologist of Jewish origin.

He is considered the father and founder of psychoanalysis, a current within psychology. In addition, he is one of the most prominent figures of the 20th century in the field of psychology and psychiatry.

In this article we will know who Sigmund Freud was. We will briefly review his biography and his career and we will mention some of the theoretical contributions of this Austrian doctor, father of psychoanalysis. In addition, we will make a final reflection on how his work was valued.

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Sigmund Freud: origin

Sigmund Freud was born into a Jewish family in the town of Freiberg, located in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Currently this town is called Príbor, and it is located in Moravia (Czech Republic). He was born on May 6, 1856 and passed away on September 23, 1939, at the age of 83.

Soon Freud moved with his family to Vienna. The reasons were financial problems. There Freud began to study Medicine at the University, when he was 17 years old. He finished it in 1881, and between 1883 and 1885 he worked at the Vienna General Hospital, where Theodor Meynert, a leading German neurologist, supervised him.

Just a year later, in 1886, Sigmund Freud decided to open his own private practice.

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Beginning of his career

Soon Freud began to investigate in different fields of medicine and mental health. His first investigations were on cocaine, since he believed that it could be used for therapeutic purposes. According to him, it could be beneficial in cases of migraines, asthma, as a mental stimulator or as a cure for morphine addiction.

As a result of these investigations, he published an article (“Über Coca”, which means “About coca”), where he talks about the characteristics and properties of cocaine.

Some authors believe that Freud used cocaine; For example, the American Howard Markel, physician, historian and professor at the University of Michigan, published it in his book "An anatomy of addiction".

Apparently, Sigmund Freud, with the arrival of the death of his father in 1896, gave up cocaine. It is believed that he was up to twelve years using. However, many authors consider that he never got hooked on such a substance.

Freud as Founder of Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud is especially known for being the father and founder of psychoanalysis, a current of psychology that emphasizes the power of the unconscious and that aims to bring this part of our mind to light (making it conscious).

How did Sigmund Freud get into psychoanalysis? At first he spent more than ten years treating and investigating neurosis (for example hysteria) through two fundamental methods: the cathartic method and hypnosis.

Later, he began to use another method: free association, a basic tool in psychotherapy. psychoanalytic, and that consists of the patient expressing everything that comes to mind without censored. This can be memories, images, wishes, fears, expectations, dreams, etc., that is, everything he wants.

Freud's free association technique was developed by Freud between 1895 and 1900. On the other hand, one of the most outstanding works of Sigmund Freud (along with many others) was "The Interpretation of Dreams", from 1899. Actually, it is considered his most important work; some think that through this work Freud finished developing his psychoanalytic theory.

Wednesday Psychological Society

As a curious fact, in 1902 a group of people interested in Freud's theories was formed; This group called itself the Wednesday Psychological Society, and it met at Sigmund Freud's house to discuss issues of psychology.

Later this group changed its name, and was renamed "Viennese Psychoanalytic Association". It ended up incorporating well-known members of psychology and psychiatry, such as: Carl Gustav Jung and Alfred Adler.

Acknowledgments

Sigmund Freud became a very prominent figure in the twentieth century for his contributions in the field of mental health, and for breaking many taboos, such as including sex in most of their theories. According to him, we all have a libido (sexual energy) that we transform and that we invest in a great variety of things and people.

Thanks to his contributions, Freud was recognized as the creator of psychoanalysis; thus, he was appointed Extraordinary Professor in Vienna. This was his first recognition, and it happened in 1902.

Seven years later In 1909, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Clark University (USA).

Six years later, Sigmund Freud was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine. It was William Alanson White who proposed it. From that time on, he ran for her up to twelve times, but he never won a Nobel Prize. Many believe that the reasons were the fact that psychoanalysis was not considered a science, in addition to the mistrust and criticism that its theories had aroused.

Assessment of your theory

Freud being such an innovative and groundbreaking author, he was followed by many, but he also had many detractors. This is because it generated many controversies and controversies, especially on the sexual issue, which was very taboo at that time.

Those who criticized him were of the opinion that his theories were not scientific; many others believed that the author gave too much importance to childhood and sex as determinants of many pathologies. Currently the controversy is still latent, and Sigmund continues to awaken love and hate in equal measure.

Anyway, the mark that Freud has left in psychology and psychiatry, although controversial, is undeniable, and his contributions have generated a lot of subsequent knowledge. On the other hand, psychoanalysis has continued to develop and "modernize", in turn emerging different currents from the original.

Death and legacy

After a great academic, intellectual and professional career, and having largely revolutionized psychology, Sigmund Freud was diagnosed with cancer of the palate. This cancer caused many complications, and he even had surgery more than thirty times. Anyway, Freud kept working.

At that time he was living in Austria. In the wake of Nazism and wars, much of Freud's work was burned. In addition, his sisters were sent to concentration camps and his children were persecuted, since both he and they were of Jewish origin.

Eventually Freud, although he had always been reluctant to "run away," decided to leave Austria and went into exile in London. At the age of 83, and when he had only been in London for a year, Sigmund Freud died as a result of cancer of the palate that he suffered. His death occurred on September 23, 1939.

The work and the legacy that Freud has left is extensive, important and still valid.. His contributions are still being studied worldwide, especially those that refer to the conscious, preconscious and unconscious, and the "I", "it" and "super-I" (the three parts or forces into which the mind is divided human).

Bibliographic references

• Jung, C.G. (2000). Freud and psychoanalysis. Complete works volume 4. Madrid: Editorial Trotta.

• Peter, G. (2010). Freud. Barcelona: Paidós Editions.

• Roudinesco, E. (2015). Freud. In your time and ours. Madrid: Editorial Debate.