Psycho Analysis of Depression
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The aim of psychoanalysis is to enable the person to cope better with inner emotional conflicts that are causing disturbance. The therapist tries to uncover unconscious conflicts and anxieties they have in the past, in order to gain insight into the causes of psychological disturbance. The therapist along with the client works through them by examining and dealing with them so they stop having an influence on the patients behaviour. This process is called Catharsis.
A variety of the techniques are used to demonstrate the process. They include free association where the client is asked to talk freely. The association should arise when they talk, and reflect the internal conflicts. Another technique is dream analysis. The therapist interprets the hidden meaning behind clients reoccurred dream to find of the conflict. Transference is when the client redirects feelings towards the therapist, may unconsciously direct towards a significant person in life who has been censored from the conscious mind.
Psychoanalysis takes a long time to do, at least 2 years. Because of that, it is expensive compared with other therapies for depression. However, there are brief psychodynamic therapies which focus more on the current rather than the past. These brief therapies are more affordable. Psychoanalysis is not suitable for people with suicidal tendencies as they need more rapid treatment. It is particularly suitable for people when the depression is rooted in early dysfunctional relationship. Depressed people may be too passive to take part in a therapy or may drop out easily. Some researchers found that it does not work. The insight into the problem may be more distressing than the problem itself. There may be danger of causing more emotional harm by bringing up past events. The therapists should warn the patients that the insight may be distressing and therapists must be able to cope themselves not get out of their depth. It is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness because therapy can take years and so other variable can be involved. Eyesenck found that 44% who had psychotherapy improved but 66% improved without treatment, suggesting thet psychotherapy may be worse than without it.