The Psychodynamic Model

1
The Psychodynamic Model
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Main assumptions
• Psychological disorders are caused by emotional
  problems in the unconscious mind
• The causes of these emotional problems can
  usually be traced back to early childhood
• The relationship between child and parents is a
  crucial determinant of mental health

2
The Unconscious Mind
www.psychlotron.org.uk
3
The Psyche
www.psychlotron.org.uk
4
Healthy Psyche
www.psychlotron.org.uk
OK Guys Im in charge. Anything you want has
to go through me.
OK.
OK.
Ego
Id
Superego
5
Neurotic Psyche
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Listen up! Im in charge, and you are not here
to enjoy yourselves. Get ready for a double-size
portion of anxiety with a side order of guilt!
No fun.
gtwhimperlt
Superego
Id
Ego
6
Psychotic Psyche
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Sex! Food! Drink! Drugs! NOW!
Who turned out the lights?
Id
Superego
Ego
7
Psychopathic Psyche
www.psychlotron.org.uk
OK. First, gimme food. Then I want sex lots
of it and I dont particularly care whether its
with a willing partner. Then I want to hurt
people. Badly. Probably be hungry again after
that so
OK then. Lets go.
8
Defence Mechanisms
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Unacceptable (latent) motives are channeled into
  more acceptable (manifest) thoughts and actions

Aggression Sexual desire for parent Masturbation P
laying with faeces
Sport Sexual desire for partner Guitar
playing Pottery
9
Psychological Disorders
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• Psychological disorders are defence mechanisms
  against repressed emotional problems and impulses
• The symptoms of a disorder have a hidden meaning
  that can be decoded

10
Psychological Disorders
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Depression
Aggression against the parents turned back in on
the self
Anxiety
Fear of something (e.g. sex) that is projected
onto something innocuous