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The introductory part of this monograph outlines the modern position of psychoanalysis with special reference to its earlier, but later expanded, construction of the theory, and to the various conceptual foundations of the unconscious; and to the inhibitions put upon it not only because of general ignorance, but because of the attitudes and inadequate defenses of some of those who are working in the specialty. The preliminary discussion also includes some of the empirical foundations of the concept of the unconscious, the importance and autonomy of the pregenital factors in human behavior, and a comparison of theories dealing with psychotherapeutic procedures. The genesis, the activity, and the fate of the individual are bound up with each movement of life, and the forces that are driving them on must all be carefully considered.
The general part of the treatise deals first with the anxiety reflex, discussing the reflex character of angst, its functions and relationships, including the impulse expressions, aggression, and possession urges; the phenomenon of anxiety is described as it appears, and changes in the neuroses, during the course of an analysis, the anxiety solvent qualities of the ideal formation, are outlined, as are also the variations of the anxiety reactions in normal human beings. Various examples of anxiety are given, with the essentials for beginning the investigation of special, cases. A separate section is devoted to the adjustment of the angst reactions, the lack of which produces a loss of interest, power, an impairment of ability, and the maintenance of a childish attitude with its special demands upon life. The theoretical nature of the so-called unconscious fixations is also critically discussed. The first part of the monograph is concluded with a critical evaluation of the dream situation, with particular attention to the pitfalls and criteria in interpretation, subjective hostilities on the part of investigators, the dream and the collective