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"被压抑的只是由压抑的阻力从自我中清晰地切断;它可以通过本我与自我沟通。"

Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud Neurologist
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Quote meaning
Let's dive into what this quote is getting at. At its core, it's saying that even though we bury certain thoughts and feelings deep within us—our repressed emotions—they're not completely disconnected from our conscious self (our ego). These buried feelings can still find a way to communicate with our conscious mind through our unconscious desires and instincts, also known as the id.

Think about it. Imagine you've had a rough childhood experience that you've pushed out of your conscious mind because it's too painful to deal with. This memory isn't gone; it's just tucked away in a back room. But this back room has a door, and sometimes messages sneak out. Maybe you find yourself inexplicably anxious in certain situations or have dreams that seem to come out of nowhere. That's your repressed memory trying to communicate.

This concept comes from Sigmund Freud's theories. Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, lived during a time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when understanding the mind was just beginning. He believed that our mind is divided into three parts: the conscious ego, the repressed memories and desires in the unconscious, and the id, which is our primal instincts and desires.

Let's talk about a real-life example. Take someone who's scared of dogs. This fear isn't just a random quirk—it might stem from a childhood incident where they were bitten by a dog. Over time, they might not even remember the bite itself, but they still get anxious around dogs. The actual memory is repressed, but the fear (an emotion linked to that memory) finds its way to the surface through the id.

So how do you apply this bit of wisdom? Start paying attention to those seemingly random emotions or reactions you have. If you find yourself reacting strongly to a seemingly minor event, ask yourself why. Is there something deeper at play? Sometimes, talking to a therapist can help you uncover these hidden connections. They can guide you in understanding how your repressed feelings might be influencing your current behavior.

Think of a scenario where you’re at work, and a particular colleague just rubs you the wrong way. You can't quite put your finger on why, but something about them sets you off. Instead of just brushing it off, dig a little deeper. Maybe this person reminds you of someone from your past who hurt you, and those old feelings are bubbling up. By recognizing this, you can start to separate the past from the present and manage your reactions more effectively.

Imagine explaining this to a friend over coffee. You'd probably say something like, "You know how sometimes you just get a weird feeling about something or someone, and you can't figure out why? It might be that your brain is trying to tell you something—something from your past that you haven't really dealt with. It’s like your subconscious is sending you a message. Crazy, right?"

In essence, recognizing that our repressed emotions and memories aren’t gone but are just hidden can help us understand ourselves better. It’s about making peace with our past to live more fully in the present. So next time you feel something unexpected, take a moment to think about where it might be coming from. Your mind has a funny way of hiding things in plain sight.
Related tags
Defense mechanisms Ego Freudian psychology Id Mental health Psychoanalysis Psychology Repression Sigmund freud Subconscious mind
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