5 Of The Best Quotes From Anna Freud
Anna Freud was a psychoanalyst who continued the legacy of her father, Sigmund Freud. But her weight was placed almost exclusively on children. It was natural, when Anna herself had a paradoxical childhood.
From the moment she was born, her mother was already basically tired of raising children. She already had five other children and did not feel able to indulge in another.
Therefore , she hired the services of a governess who became what Anna called a “psychic mother” for her.
Anna Freud psychoanalyzed with her own father. It must have been very difficult for her to be the successor and child of one of the most prominent men in all of history.
Although she remained in line with classical psychoanalysis, these words from Anna Freud reveal a more sensitive side. Here are some of her most iconic quotes…
1. The mother, a common theme in Anna Freud’s quotes
The mother figure is strongly marked in one’s heart. For this reason, several of Anna Freud’s sentences refer to this figure. This quote, for example, is very representative of this.
You could say that this is one of the conclusions of her own psychoanalysis. Although she in principle used it on her individual situation, the quote has universal validity. A child who finds no place in the parents’ heart also finds no place for himself in the world.
2. About the essentials
This is another of Anna Freud’s quotes that shows her confusion, her significant lack of motherly love,
It is normal for those who have grown up with emotional deficiencies to carry a deep emptiness in their hearts. Therefore, manifestations of love and approval from others are crucial. We see this in many of Anna Freud’s words: the desire for a love she never had.
3. Dissatisfaction and life
Life, not only for Anna Freud, but for all people, is marked by eternal dissatisfaction. Psychoanalysis suggests that there is a discomfort that does not have the opportunity to be completely resolved. Life involves so many rejections of impossible desires that dissatisfaction finds dwelling in us.
This is what one of Anna Freud’s most famous quotes seems to say:
To live means to deal with gaps and contradictions. Dissatisfaction is a part of life itself.
4. Change the world
Although many of Anna Freud’s quotes show us a soul that is more or less bothered, there is also an enormous hope in her. This is reflected in her work and many of the quotes. One of them is:
This sentence in particular drives Anna Freud away from her father’s rational pessimism. The author of The Future of an Illusion did not see it as likely that the world would change.
Anna, on the other hand, reflects a great deal of hope in humanity and the constructive changes that can be achieved.
5. Mistakes and truth
Many of Anna Freud’s quotes have a philosophical tone. They highlight universal themes and allow us to see another facet of her thinking. This, for example, moves away from the analysis of the individual and refers to the collective. It says:
It talks about the power of the group beyond the individual. The mechanism by which society gives something a certain degree of truth.
If many people share a mistake, it will create the illusion of truth. In this way , the strength of rationality does not prevail, the strength of the collective is stronger.
Anna Freud had a great impact on psychoanalysis. Although she never received the transcendence of her father, she is a very important figure. She is a thinker that is worth reading and knowing about.
