Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler

The life of Alfred Adler, a renowned psychiatrist, is shrouded in mystery. Despite his significant contributions to the field of psychology, very little is known about his early life. Biographers suggest that he was closer to his father than his mother, which may have had a profound impact on his personality. Apart from feeling alienated by his mother at the birth of his siblings, Adler mostly envied and felt inferior to his elder brother due to their vastly different health conditions.

Adler's early life was marked by several challenges. He suffered from Rickets as a child and almost succumbed to pneumonia when he was just four years old. Born on February 7th, 1870, in Rudolfsheim, Vienna, Austria, Adler was the second of seven children born to Leopold and Pauline Adler.

In contrast to Sigmund Freud's emphasis on unconscious forces and sexual and aggressive drives as predictors of human behavior, neo-psychoanalysts like Alfred Adler and Carl Jung took a more deterministic and optimistic approach. Neo-psychoanalysts were once loyal followers of Freud who later diverged from his theory of psychoanalysis, developing their own theories that focused on the evolution of psychoanalysis.

Throughout his career, Adler's work was heavily influenced by his experiences as a psychiatrist. His theory of individual psychology emphasized the importance of social interest and the concept of an inferiority complex. According to Adler, individuals often develop this complex due to feelings of inadequacy or insecurity, leading them to compensate with overcompensation.

Adler's contributions to mental health were significant, and his work continues to be studied by psychologists today. In fact, biographers suggest that he was one of the most important psychoanalysts after Freud. Despite his relatively short career, Adler published numerous papers and books on psychology, including 'Das organische Substrat der Psychoneurosen' (1912) and 'The Psychology of Inferiority Complex' (1937).

In conclusion, Alfred Adler's life was marked by both personal and professional challenges. His work as a psychiatrist and his theory of individual psychology continue to influence the field of psychoanalysis today. Despite his relatively unknown early life, Adler's contributions to mental health are undeniable, and his legacy continues to be felt in the world of psychology.

Psychoanalysis of freud and adler