Neurotic disorders have been disorders dating back in ancient centuries. Many psychologists have come up with recommendation that would help come up with the most appropriate treatment for this disorder. With many recommendations having passed the test of times modern century have argued that ancient psychologist did not come with appropriate recommendations that could be used till now. One psychologist that created a treatment structure in the ancient times was Sigmund Freud. Freud came up with a treatment structure that dwelled its treatment on dreams and memories. In his argument he claimed that one cannot be treated for a mental ailment without the consideration of their dreams and memories. Gay argues that according to Freud a normal and healthy people usually have dreams that could be important to treat their condition on neurosis.
Freud further explained his recommendations by case study on the ‘wolf-man’. The title wolf man was aimed at protecting the identity of the patient. The title wolf man then created a global referral to the case as the wolf-man case. This particular patient was reluctant to share his depression cause to Freud. He suffered from great depression which made him develop a mental disorder. Later during his treatment, the patient opened up about his childhood. He later realized that during his childhood the patient had dreams in which he saw wolves with fox tails near his home. In the dream he was always terrified that the wolves would attack and eat him. In his interpretation of the dream, Freud came up with an assumption that the dream was caused by the fact that the patient witnessed his parents having sexual relations. From the analysis Freud concluded that the patient was undergoing depression due to what he experienced in his childhood. This interpretation was proof enough that a psychologist could interpret a patients dream in the treatment of mental disorders.
Freud’s treatment structure on using dreams and memories to treat his patient was however faced with much criticism. Many critics argued that dreams and memories can be developed through other experiences rather than illusions from an unconscious brain. If these claims were true then it would be inappropriate to relate mental illnesses to dreams and memories. However, in his defense Freud argued that the segmentation of mind into the conscious and unconscious components is the central precedent on which psycho-analysis is anchored. He also argued by the influence of nature the mind in an unconscious form relates to the real factors in the real life. With the combination of both dreams and memories much could be said on the mental influence of a person. Freud argued that the mind has three structural elements: the id, ego and super-ego. The id is part of the mind that seeks satisfaction, while the super-ego seeks rationality; the ego reconciles conflicts between the id and the super-ego and, therefore, is responsible for consciousness (Gay 634). A mentally healthy person experiences harmonious relationship between three elements of the brain. However, internal conflicts occur between the elements, and if this is not resolved, then neurosis is bound to occur. From this analysis structure of the brain, Freud did enough to counter the arguments by his critics.
In conclusion, the arguments by Freud could be proven beyond reasonable doubt. The power of the human brain is capable of enabling a psychologist relates to any mental condition a person mat have. One could easily argue that dreams are illusion of real life situations: situations that may be significant in causing mental disorders in a person. However, the arguments by his critics are also significant t in shaping the direction of this issue. For instance, throughout the entire life of a person, we have numerous dreams. How would a psychologist detect which dream has effects on one’s psychology? Freud may argue that the expertise of a psychology would be the great determinant on whether or not a dream is significant in a person’s life.
Works Cited
Gay, Peter (Ed.). The Freud Reader. New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 1995. Print.
