Q&A about Psychoanalysis

Very happy for you. It’s the right decision, and it’s going to be amazing. I have no idea how this thing works but work it does in the most extraordinary ways.

Yes, psychoanalysis had a magical effect on my life but it’s not only that. N might not even be alive today without it. I also recommended it to several relatives and friends, and it worked for all except one who dropped out after two sessions.

My recommendation is prepare to be frustrated and work through it. Psychoanalysis is not therapy. It doesn’t aim to soothe you. Soothing has a temporary effect. You will keep needing more and more. That’s why I don’t recommend therapy. It’s situational and doesn’t have an end point. The real transformative change only happens through frustration. If you feel there’s something you really don’t want to talk about, it’s a sign that this is what you need to talk about. I didn’t explain this to the friend who quit, and her analyst immediately identified the pain point and went for it. She wasn’t prepared for that and couldn’t tolerate it.

Accept that you don’t know how your mind works. If you did, you wouldn’t need to seek help. Also accept that you don’t know how the process works and don’t need to understand. Like when you go to a dentist for a root canal, you open your mouth and sit there. Relax, relinquish control, and let the specialist work. Also, prepare for the realization that what you think is your problem is probably not remotely the actual problem.

Another thing is, don’t plan what you’ll say on advance. The more spontaneous it is, the better. If you need to sit in silence, then do that. Don’t try to understand the process through logic.

Do it, my friend, and prepare for wonderful things that are about to start happening.