A review of Freud's writings suggests that working through should be conceived of as the time and energy required of the patient to change his habitual pattern of instinctual discharge (id resistance). In the neurotic patient this implies a coming to terms with unconscious infantile conflicts (dynamic), ego control of the mobility of drive cathexis (economic), and an increase in the area of the ego's autonomy (structural). Three aspects of id resistance (difficulties in reallocation of cathectic investment) can be distinguished: psychical inertia (or hypermobility), adhesiveness of the libido, and fixation. The first two are independent factors, i.e., not directly the result of neurotic conflict.

Of particular significance is the fact that successful working through results in an increase in the ego's control over the cathectic investments, including the domination of the pleasure principle by the reality principle and the primary process by the secondary