Anouchka Grose, psychoanalyst and writer, discusses Freud's 'discovery' of the unconscious and Lacan's language-like unconscious. Topics include symptom formation, Freud's concept of the sixth screen, the relationship between words and the unconscious, and the complexity of sexuality in family dynamics.
Freud's concept of the unconscious involves the attachment of pre-conscious ideas, and the formation of strange manifestations in dreams and symptoms.
Symptoms can act as a compromise between the conscious and unconscious mind, forming as a way to avoid confronting repressed ideas and creating a constant reminder of the underlying issue.
The unconscious is not a mere repository of primal energy but rather a realm where unconscious desires attach themselves to ideas, impacting emotions and influencing anxiety.
Deep dives
The Unconscious: From Freud to Lacan
The podcast episode discusses the concept of the unconscious as elaborated by Freud and its subsequent evolution. It explores how the unconscious attaches itself to pre-conscious ideas and the strange manifestations of the unconscious in dreams and symptoms. The podcast also delves into the dynamics of repression and the defense mechanisms employed by the psyche to keep unconscious ideas at bay. It highlights the complexities of working with the concept of the unconscious in therapy and the challenges posed by societal attitudes towards psychoanalysis and the idea of the unconscious.
The Formation of Symptoms and Compromises
The episode delves into how symptoms can form as a compromise between the conscious and unconscious mind. It discusses the case of a woman with a fear of intruders, where anxiety is transformed into a fear of specific objects within her environment. It explores how consciousness finds new objects to attach anxiety to as a way to avoid confronting repressed ideas, creating a constant reminder of the underlying issue. The episode also mentions the formation of phobias and the role of compromise formations in creating symptoms.
Unconscious Ideas, Drives, and Transformations
The podcast episode delves into the nature of unconscious ideas and how they relate to drives. It discusses how drives need to attach themselves to ideas in order to be recognized, challenging the misconception that the unconscious is a repository of primal energy. It explores the relationship between unconscious drives and emotions, and how consciousness attempts to transform anxiety into different feelings or attach anxiety to external objects. The episode also highlights the importance of psychoanalysis in understanding the dynamics of the mind and the limitations of scientific measurement when studying the unconscious.
Unconscious Desires and Fear
The podcast explores the case of a woman whose fear of a man entering her bedroom at night is linked to her repressed sexual fantasies about her father. The unconscious desires and feelings she has towards her father become a source of anxiety and fear, leading her to avoid situations that remind her of those desires. Running away from tangible fears, like curtains, is easier than confronting the unconscious fantasies. The podcast emphasizes the importance of understanding the unconscious and its influence on our fears and behaviors.
Language and Repression
The podcast delves into the role of language in psychoanalysis and repression. Freud argues that language is a trauma as it limits our ability to express ourselves fully, and repression makes certain ideas unsayable. The limitations of language hinder our understanding and communication of unconscious desires. However, language also offers a creative space for expression and can be used ingeniously. The podcast highlights the complex relationship between language, repression, and the unconscious.
While the contents of the unconscious might be obscure and perplexing, when Freud spoke about 'the unconscious' he meant something very precise. This talk will look at Freud's 'discovery' of the unconscious, and at his conceptualisation of it. It will also deal with the peculiar logic of symptom formation. From there, it will go on to look at Lacan's notion of the language-like unconscious, showing how this was developed in accordance with Freud's ideas.
Anouchka Grose is a psychoanalyst and writer practising in London. She is a member of the Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research, where she regularly lectures. She is the author of No More Silly Love Songs: a realist’s guide to romance (Portobello, 2010) and Are you Considering Therapy (Karnac, 2011), and is the editor of 'Hysteria Today', a collection of essays to be published by Karnac later this year. She also writes for The Guardian and teaches at Camberwell School of Art.
Part of an exciting season of talks, events and conferences accompanying the exhibition ‘Festival of the Unconscious’, 24 June- 4 October 2015.
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