Psychoanalysis is a combination of two words i.e. psychologyand analysis. It means the analysis of psychology, more simply the analysis of human behaviour So psychoanalysis is a treatment based on the analysis and observations that the individuals are not aware of many factors which are responsible and can influence their mood, emotions and behaviour. Psychoanalysis is a treatment approach. The factors which can alter human behaviour and emotions may lead to unhappiness, which can be recognized, while sometimes, can’t be recognized such as personality behaviour problems, work difficulties or relationship problems, disturbances in mood and emotional behaviour.

Psychoanalysis theory was given bySigmund Freud, who is also known as father of psychoanalysis and a prominent neurologist. Psychoanalysis is both a theory of mind’s functioning as well as a treatment. As it has a double prospective. One is that it is a comprehensive theory of human nature, motivation, behaviour, development and experience. Second it a treatment approach for psychological approaches and difficulties which one faces in living a successful life. Psychoanalysis theory is based on the study of biological and social sciences, history, geography, philosophy, art and literature, group behaviour. It contributes to child psychology, education and law because it is a development theory. With the help of psychoanalysis, psychologists can know about the role of emotions in health and medical illness. Other major thing is the identification of relationship of mind and body.

Psychoanalysis: A Theory of Mind

Psychoanalysis is a special type of therapy. It is a comprehensive theory of mind in depth. The psychoanalysis provides us enough information related to human mind, what motivates it, what inspires it etc. This phenomenon tells what lies beneath the surface. Over the decades in research on psychoanalysis, various sets of useful understandings of common human psychological experiences have been developed. For example, humans have a very emotional connection with their ideals and leaders. They even idealize them in their daily life. When they think that their ideals have disappointed them, they can become angry over it. This concept can be valuable in understand many political phenomenon. The psychoanalytical approach can be helpful in understanding the human beings, their behaviour and motivations with respect to others domains such as business, sports, politics, arts, literature, culture, education etc. Though psychoanalysis is frequently being used to treat the anxiety disorders and depression.

Conscious/Unconscious:

Sigmund Freud gave the theory of psychoanalysis in the late nineteenth century. He formulated the theory of human mind based on the discovery of unconscious. He stated that the behaviour and the personality of a human being depend upon his interaction with the psychological factors. These psychological factors operate at three different awareness levels i.e. preconscious, the conscious and the unconscious. Freud divided the state of mind into three levels:

1. The conscious mind is about everything that we are aware of, everything that we know. This is the state where we can take decisions, think and talk rationally.
2. The preconscious is the part that shows ordinary memory. This works like if sometimes we are not aware of anything, any information at a given time, the information can be retrieved again consciously.
3. The unconscious mind is collection of emotions, thoughts, feelings, urges and memories that are not in control of our conscious state of mind. Freud demonstrated that the unconscious state plays a key role in the behaviour and experience even if we are not aware of its influences.

Psychoanalysis demonstrates how these unconscious factors can affect the current state of our mind leading to change in the relations and behaviour pattern. The findings of psychoanalytical treatments can help in better life minimizing the conflict factors in the relations as it investigates the mind especially the subconscious mind of human.

Psychoanalysis was an outcome of self – analysis to which Freud himself was submitted. Self – analysis served the biggest contribution in the existence of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis has become a general theoretical approach of human mental functioning based on the founding of Freud and his contemporaries which proved out to be one of the most important and sophisticated tool for understanding the human mind and it’s functioning.

Many people seek psychoanalysis treatment as their repeated pattern of behaviour has proved failure in their life, relations etc, sometimes at higher degree known as self destructive pattern of behaviour. Psychoanalysis has a clinical approach as it treats the individual in bringing our major change in the life perspective. Various anxiety disorders such as phobias, depression, panic attacks, post – traumatic stress disorder, obsessive – compulsive disorder.