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The chief criticism which has been directed towards psychoanalytic treatment of the neuroses, has been that there are no statistics available showing the results of this method, the same as is the case in other departments of clinical medicine. It appears that this skeptical attitude was justified and it was with the purpose of disarming or minimizing such criticism that the following statistical study was undertaken. These statistics are based entirely upon personal investigations and experience.
The following results were obtained in a series of 93 cases of the various psychoneuroses and also of certain psychoses which were subjected to treatment with the psychoanalytic method. Some of the cases were quite severe, while others were mild, but in a large majority of these, other methods of treatment, such as drugs, rest, electricity, explanation and the various ordinary methods of psychotherapy, had been tried in vain. In fact, in certain of the cases, it seems justifiable to state, considering the inefficiency of other therapeutic methods, that the neurotic condition would have gone on indefinitely, thus leaving the patient in a condition of life-long misery and incapacity, had not psychoanalysis been utilized.
In the sexual neuroses, such as homosexuality and sadism, psychoanalysis was the only method which offered any hope of a cure or even an amelioration of the condition. In a large percentage of cases also, psychoanalysis was used as a last resort. This statement is made for the purpose of mimmizmg the usual criticism that the case would have recovered without the long psychoanalytic procedure. The fact that certain cases were absolutely unaffected by other therapeutic procedures, but recovered under psychoanalysis, is sufficient to invalidate any such critical attitude. Psychoanalysis,