Sigmund Freud: Personal Biography
Psychoanalytic Movement
Early Professional Career
Death
Childhood
- Freud's cancer became worse and worse, and was deemed inoperable
- He was euthanized (died) on Spetember 23rd, 1938, in London
- Cause of death was lethal doses of morphine
- He was cremated, and joined by his wife Martha in 1951
- The movement continued to grow as many of Freud's early followers began creating their own regional schools
- At the same time, many of Freud's contemporaries withdrew from the IPA
- The IPA met in a biannual Congress after World War I
- Freud attended his last Congress in 1922
- Conflicting theories continued to cause withdrawl from the IPA
- Freud's 1885 trip to Paris had a lasting impact
- He studied with Jean-Martin Charcot, studying hypnosis
- At his private practice, Freud employed hypnosis using Josef Breuer's approach
- He later abandoned hypnosis and instead used "free association" and dream analysis to acheive symptom relief in his patients
- Freud published over five books in this period
- Born May 6th, 1856 in Freiberg in Mahren, first of 8 children
- Left Freiberg in 1859, settled in Vienna in 1860
- At age 9, Freud enrolled in Leopoldstader Kommunal-Realgymnasium
- Graduated high school in 1873, and entered the University of Vienna
- Studied philosophy, psychology and zoology
- Graduated with an MD in 1881
Followers
Legacy and Finer Points
Disease and Later Life
Early Adult Life
- After graduation, Freud began working at Vienna General Hospital
- He became engaged to Martha Bernays the same year
- In 1885, Freud went to Paris on a fellowship to study
- 1886 saw Freud open his own private practice, specializing in "nervous disorders"
- He married the same year
- Had six children with Martha Freud between 1887-1895
- Freud developed cancer in 1923, probably caused by smoking
- Many doctors downplayed the seriousness of the disease
- Freud was awared the Goethe Prize for his contributions to German literary culture and psychology in 1930
- Just 3 years later, the Nazi regime took power
- Freud's books were among the many they burned
- In March, 1938, Freud fled Vienna for London
- Freud often lectured at his alma mater, and recieved the honorary title of Professor extraordinarious in 1902
- From this point on, he began to amass followers
- The group had five original members, and met on Wednesday afternoons to discuss psychology and neuropathology
- By 1906, the group grew to sixteen memebers, and in 1908 was renamed the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society
- By 1909, Freud had visited the United States, and his works began being translated into English
- In 1910, Freud founded the International Psychoanalytic Society (IPA), with Carl Jung was elected its first president
- Although many of his theories have been refuted, Freud is one of the most known and greatest figures in modern psychology
- His greatest insight was probably the importance of the subconcious
- Freud published at least 22 books, 8 case histories, and 18 papers
- His daughter, Anna Freud followed his footsteps and was also a great contributer to the field
- Freud was also a leading advocate for medical cocaine use, and consumed a great deal himself