Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, one of the most influential theoretical and therapeutic methods in psychology. He was born in Freiberg, in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire (now the Czech Republic), and spent most of his life in Vienna, where he developed his ideas.

Freud was the first to emphasize the importance of the unconscious mind in shaping human behavior. His theory includes the structure of the psyche (id, ego, and superego), defense mechanisms, the importance of sexuality in early development, and the role of dreams as expressions of unconscious desires. His most famous work, The Interpretation of Dreams (1899), laid the foundations for psychoanalytic practice.

In addition to his clinical work, Freud wrote numerous books and essays, including Introduction to Psychoanalysis, Totem and Taboo, Cultural Discontent, and The Ego and the Id. Although his theories have often been criticized and contested, Freud’s influence on psychology, philosophy, literature, and art remains undeniable.

Due to Nazi persecution, he emigrated to London in 1938, where he died soon after of cancer. His work continues to stimulate debate and reinterpretation, and psychoanalysis continues to have a strong cultural and therapeutic influence today.