A friend of mine is a molecular biologist and she shared with me that usually when she meets new people and they ask her what she does for living the answer causes a long uncomfortable silence.
Fortunately or not it is not the same when I tell someone that I am a Psychoanalysis PhD, nevertheless there are a bunch of silly questions that almost always come up. That’s why I decided to respond to them in an article and maybe bust some myths about the psychoanalysis.
“Analyze me NOW!”
If you start with such a question I’ll most probably just change the topic.
“What psychological type am I?”
Psychoanalysis, unlike psychology, does not use psychometric tests in order to define the personality type of the clients. In the theory there is some certain typology, but it is really more related to the universal drives and tendencies that are met in every human in a different extend. The science itself is based on working with cases and we believe that every person is unique.
Sincerely, do you think that some personality test, or even I, knows more about your conscious and unconscious mind than yourself? If yes, you should ask yourself why.
“Can you hypnotize me?”
100 years ago Freud stopped using hypnosis in the psychoanalytical treatment. It is still used in the hypnotherapy but it has nothing to do with psychoanalysis. What we use in the psychoanalytic process is free associations, analysis of dreams, feelings and memories.
“May I ask for appointment?”
Of course, over here.
But it means that all our personal contacts are over now! It is not appropriate to threat friends and relatives.
“Do I need psychoanalysis?”
I have no idea, we just met!
The truth is that psychoanalysis is good for almost anyone and it can help otherwise perfectly fit people to overcome some difficulties in life like loss, separation, family conflicts, hard choices, etc. – situations in which all of us have been at least once. It can be used as a parallel treatment of some more severe problems like depression or addictions. I recommend you to try it even if you haven’t some particular issue. Many of our clients go because their life goes well but very often they feel under the weather not knowing why.
One thing is sure; you should try psychoanalysis before considering taking antidepressants or excessive drinking. Besides, it is much more efficient than a simple talk with friends because it gives you much deeper and objective perspective on the problem.
And my personal favorite “What am I thinking about now?”
I am a therapist not a psychic.
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