Freud’s Case Histories Illustrate Very Clearly Some of...

Essay Title: â€Å"Freud’s case histories illustrate very clearly some of Freud’s most basic theories, such as his theories of identification, the role of transference, and the way in which the symptom is a formation of the unconscious.† â€Å"Freud’s case histories illustrate very clearly some of Freud’s most basic theories, such as his theories of identification, the role of transference, and the way in which the symptom is a formation of the unconscious.† I have chosen the Ratman as the case history I will use to illustrate Freud’s theories. The Rat Man exposes many of Freud’s theoretical formulations as they evolved and the sessions demonstrate various examples of Freud’s techniques of the day The case study shows the features and the†¦show more content†¦His obsessional neurotic defensive measures, together with the punishment, still consumed his thoughts even beyond his father’s grave. The captain then handed him a package replacing his lost glasses, saying a Lieutenant ‘A’ had paid the charges and he must pay him back. His ‘sanction’ in his mind now was that he must not pay back Lieutenant ‘A’ or the torture would happen, immediately counteracted with a vow that he must pay the money back. He then pursed a number of complex external problems that would prevent or facilitate the repayment. He complicates the story in a way that confuses himself as well as Freud. Freud recognises the displacements and the tendency to avoid reality (to the point that the punishments would last eternity). Freud recognises transference in this session, noticing he was frequently referred to as ‘Captain’. This is where Freud’s recognition of transference comes into the relationship, the Rat Man looked on him as the ‘captain’. One way Freud may have erred in this case, is by not using the transference to advant age at this stage. I will refer back to the importance of transference. As the story unfolds it becomes clear that the Rat Mans original vow no longer holds substance; that he doesn’t in fact owe the money to Lieutenant ‘A’. Yet he continues with a wish to fulfil his ‘vow’ in order to gain some peace in his thinking. His continual indecisiveness demonstrates the exhausting nature of obsessional