Sigmund Freud was a famous psychologist known as the "father of psychoanalysis." His theory, psychoanalysis, focuses on exploring the unconscious mind, which is the part of our mind that holds hidden desires, memories, and emotions. Freud believed that many of our thoughts and behaviors come from this unconscious mind, even if we're not aware of it.


Freud’s Key Concepts
1. The Structure of the Mind: Id, Ego, and Superego

Freud said that the mind is divided into three parts, each constantly interacting and in conflict:

Id: This is the most basic part of our mind, present from birth. It seeks pleasure and avoids pain. It doesn’t care about rules or consequences and simply wants immediate satisfaction.

For example, if you’re hungry, your Id will push you to eat as soon as possible, no matter the circumstances.

Ego: This part deals with reality. The Ego balances the impulsive desires of the Id with the constraints of the real world. It helps find a reasonable and socially acceptable way to meet those desires.

For example, if your Id wants to eat right away, the Ego reminds you that the restaurant might be closed, so you have to wait or find a different solution.

Superego: This represents the moral and ethical standards we learn from society. It judges our actions and creates feelings of guilt if we do something wrong.

For example, if you want to buy an expensive phone impulsively, the Superego might remind you that spending too much money is irresponsible.

Together, these three parts (Id, Ego, and Superego) shape our behavior by constantly pulling us in different directions.


2. The Unconscious Mind

Freud believed most of our thoughts, feelings, and memories are stored in the unconscious mind. This part of our mind is like a hidden iceberg beneath the surface, influencing our actions without us realizing it.

For instance, past experiences or suppressed feelings can cause certain behaviors or dreams, even though we're not aware of them on a conscious level.

3. Psychosexual Stages of Development

Freud proposed that as children grow, they go through five psychosexual stages, where their focus shifts to different parts of the body. If these stages aren't completed properly, they can cause issues later in life.

Oral Stage (01 year): Focuses on the mouth, like breastfeeding or sucking. Issues in this stage can lead to habits like nailbiting or overeating.

Anal Stage (13 years): Focuses on control and discipline, like toilet training. Problems here can result in a person becoming overly organized (analretentive) or messy (analexpulsive).

Phallic Stage (36 years): The child becomes aware of their genitals. This stage includes the Oedipus Complex, where a boy feels affection for his mother and sees his father as a rival, while girls experience the Electra Complex (desiring their father and competing with their mother).

Latency Stage (6 years to puberty): Sexual feelings are dormant, and children focus on developing social skills.

Genital Stage (puberty onwards): Sexual interest returns, directed toward others, and healthy adult relationships can form if previous stages were resolved well.

4. Defense Mechanisms

Freud also explained that the Ego uses defense mechanisms to protect us from uncomfortable thoughts or feelings that come from the unconscious mind:

Repression: Pushing painful memories or unacceptable desires out of conscious awareness.
Denial: Refusing to accept reality.
Projection: Blaming others for our own uncomfortable feelings.
Rationalization: Justifying bad actions with logical reasons to avoid guilt.

5. The Oedipus Complex

This controversial theory suggests that during the phallic stage, a boy has an unconscious desire for his mother and sees his father as competition.

Girls experience something similar called the Electra Complex, where they are attracted to their father. Freud believed resolving these feelings was important for healthy adult relationships.


Freud’s Impact

Freud's theories greatly influenced psychology, art, literature, and even films. For example, many movies use ideas about the unconscious mind, dreams, and inner conflicts to develop their characters.

Although many of Freud’s ideas, especially about sexuality, have been criticized for being overly focused on sex and not scientifically proven, his work laid the foundation for modern psychology.

His concepts, like the unconscious mind and defense mechanisms, are still widely discussed and used in psychotherapy today.