Psychopathology of Everyday Life

Author: Sigmund Freud (Austria)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-10-01
Features: Psychoanalytic theory was established by the Austrian neurologist and psychologist Sigmund Freud in the early 20th century. Freud initially conducted research as a neurologist and psychiatrist, with his primary subjects being hysteria patients. He discovered that the root cause of hysteria was not primarily physiological but rather stemmed from deep-seated psychological factors. He attributed these internal psychological factors to repressed sexual consciousness during childhood and thereby established the "theory of unconsciousness and instinct," proposing that neuroses erupt as a result of long-term repression of sexual consciousness. Freud summarized his findings into a wholly new and highly innovative psychological theory, which he extensively promoted across fields such as philosophy, society, religion, and culture, forming a vast intellectual system. However, Freud's thought system had a fatal flaw: his entire theory was permeated with a biological perspective, denying the historical nature of human nature and rejecting the influence of social and cultural factors on personality development.
As the psychoanalytic movement evolved, some psychoanalysts critically developed Freud's ideas, increasingly emphasizing the role of sociocultural factors, and gradually diverged from Freud's theory. In 1911, Alfred Adler began to oppose Freud's instinct theory, emphasizing the influence of social conditions and interpersonal relationships on personality development, thereby establishing individual psychology within psychoanalysis. Subsequently, Carl Jung also pioneered the archetypal theory within psychoanalysis. Notably, the emergence of the new psychoanalytic movement in the 1940s in the United States, known as the sociocultural school of psychoanalysis, stood in stark opposition to Freudian psychoanalysis due to its emphasis on sociocultural factors. Key figures in this movement included Karen Horney and Erich Fromm, among others. Among them, Erich Fromm applied his psychoanalytic theory to the critique of capitalist society, developing a unique humanistic perspective within psychoanalysis.
Within the psychoanalytic movement, despite the emergence of differing schools of thought and the formation of distinct traditions, psychoanalysis retained certain commonalities, such as emphasizing the influence of childhood, the role of repression, and viewing modern human nature from a pathological perspective. After World War II, psychoanalysis flourished and deeply penetrated into all aspects of Western society—life, thought, and culture—integrating into Western society as an inseparable part. The reason for this lies in the damage inflicted on Western human nature by the two World Wars and the immense psychological pressures of the post-industrial society.
Psychoanalytic theory was introduced to China as early as the 1930s, and in recent years, the publishing industry has translated and published several key works by psychoanalysts, particularly Freud's major works. However, these have been somewhat scattered and lack systematic organization. In China, with the advancement of high technology, the deepening of the market economy, the acceleration of the pace of life, and the intensification of social competition, people's psychological pressures have been increasing, leading to more mental distress. This is especially true for children, who face various pressures from a young age. If these pressures and frustrations are not alleviated and comforted in a timely manner, over time they may lead to psychological distortion and personality abnormalities, resulting in pathological personalities or neuroses.
How to alleviate psychological stress, how to eliminate negative influences, how to prevent pathological personalities, and how to foster harmonious family and social environments to ensure healthy living and growth—are among the significant challenges facing academia in China. In light of this, we have organized the translation of this series, Classics of Psychoanalysis, hoping to provide valuable references for scholars and. This series comprises 18 volumes, carefully selected from the classic works of psychoanalytic masters such as Freud, Adler, Jung, Horney, and Fromm. They offer in-depth psychoanalytic explorations of pathological human psychology—from major mental illnesses to minor everyday lapses such as spelling or verbal mistakes—from perspectives such as sexuality, social environment, living conditions, and cultural traditions.
The reading public is fully aware of the need to approach these works with a correct analytical attitude, extracting their essence while discarding their dross for practical application—this need hardly requires our emphasis. This series has been meticulously translated by a dedicated team. Nevertheless, errors and shortcomings are inevitable, and we sincerely welcome criticism and correction from experts.