Cumulative Discussion of CCWAA, Volume 3, Chapters I-XXIV

[Henry Stein]

On January 24th, we will begin a discussion of The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler, Volume 3, Chapters XVII & XVIII. The following chapter summaries were prepared by Manu Jaaskelainen.

CCWAA, Vol. 3. Summary of Ch. XVII: "On the Function of Compulsion Conception as a way of Intensifying the Sense of Personality" (1913). The chapter consists of two parts: in Part One, Adler presents a short summary of his theory of obsessive-compulsive neurosis, in Part Two he discusses a case-study. According to Adler, the obsessive-compulsive neurosis is an attempt to control the person's life in a manner that guarantees superiority by non-cooperative means. It provides the person with a feeling of quasi-godlikeness. In the second part of the chapter, Adler presents a case of a 35-year-old lady who suffered from loss of energy and compulsive brooding. Adler describes his discussions with the client, and some conclusions. "Shutting out all external demands is made possible by the gain of power derived from having ascribed legitimacy to the illness." (p. 132). The book studied by the lady that is mentioned in the paper and was written by Adler, is most probably "The Neurotic Character".

Ch. XVIII, "Additional Guiding Principles for the Practice of Individual Psychology", is a kind of manifesto of Individual Psychology. In the beginning of the chapter, Adler presents twelve theses on individual psychology. Then he proceeds to present four central requirements for the practice of IP, and draws some conclusions. Finally, Adler presents a case-study to illustrate his theoretical theses. Of the twelve theses, the first one says: "Every neurosis can be interpreted as caused by a culturally failed attempt to free oneself from the feeling of inferiority so as to gain a feeling of superiority." In the four theses on the successful practice of IP, Adler emphasizes the capacity to empathy ("gift of empathy"). This paper was probably an attempt to define the basic principles of IP after the conflict with Freud. The paper is extremely rich in content, but its form is very condensed.

To prepare for a discussion of Volume 3 of "The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler," order your copy at http://go.ourworld.nu/hstein/cwaa-v3.htm.

[Henry Stein]

On January 31st, we will begin a discussion of The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler, Volume 3, Chapters XIX & XX. The following chapter summaries were prepared by Manu Jaaskelainen.

Ch. XIX "Individual Psychological Findings from Research in Sleep Disturbance" (1913). In this paper, Adler explores a case-study discussing a client with sleep disturbances. In addition, Adler tells his own experiences, making thus himself object of another case-study. The client awoke in two successive nights from fright and sleeplessness. On the basis of the case-history of the client, and of a number of his associations, Adler was able to conduct analysis of him. Adler concludes that the guiding personality ideas reaching toward their goals do not rest even when asleep.Adler also concludes that in some cases ungratified ambition can lead to insomnia because of resulting strained thought processes. - The chapter contains a number of interesting place-names. A colleague, Stefan von Maday (1879-1959) helped Adler when he was searching for some clues in the place-names and railway-stations mentioned on the dreams of the client. Later on, von Maday was active in child and animal psychology in Hungary. In addition, the chapter provides some insights into Adler's philosophy of life and death.

Ch. XX "The Neurotic Character" (1913) is another important study on Adler's favorite theme. Compared with the previous chapter, this paper is more difficult to study because it contains lots of material that is rather philosophical and heavy in style. Happily, Adler illustrates his arguments with a number of individual case-studies and psychological anecdotes. Adler begins the chapter with some comments on the philosophy of science: the constant weaving of the psyche in all directions can be captured by science only in segments, and then only at rest. Not unlike art, psychology demands an equally strong intuitive comprehension of the material that extends beyond the limits of induction and deduction. Here Adler mentions Nietzsche. Adler presents some very interesting observations on developmental psychology of the child, and emphasizes the importance of the guiding ideas. A special importance is given to the idea of the equality of women. If this idea is not realized in our societies, deep wounds will emerge. "Psychological healing is required of pedagogy", says Adler. In addition to Nietzsche, Otto Weininger (1880-1903) is mentioned.

To order your copy of Volume 3, go to http://go.ourworld.nu/hstein/cwaa-v3.htm.

[Henry Stein]

Re: Ch. XVII; A survey of most Internet information sites about obsessive-compulsive disorder commonly describe the typical range of symptoms, suggest it is a medical condition with no know cause, and completely ignore the purpose of the behavior. Adler's perspective on the unity and diversity of mental disorders offers a unique insight into the variety of strategies for avoiding tasks that are incompatible with an unconscious, fictional final goal, as well as generating a feeling of subjective superiority.

[George Neeson]

As a physician I have heard many unconvincing arguments alleging that OCD is a "neurotransmitter problem". I do not question that neurotransmitter levels change in the brain of "OCD" patients, but that change can not be alleged to be a "causa finalis" of the condition. It is just as plausible to argue that the patient's cognitions change the neurotransmitter levels. To allege other than that would be similar to arguing that the signal received on my television is the result of a "free running oscillator" that just happens to produce intelligent information transfer. The pharmacological argument really is not "good science"! Thinking about the purpose of the thought process as arising from a fictional final goal makes more sense to me from a psychological and medical perspective. I know that the pharmaceutical industry will have a vested interest in attempting to negate this suggestion. However as a therapist I do see the "OCD" dissolve once the goal of the thinking is gently identified to the patient and the proper level of encouragment is given to undertake the life task(s) they seek to avoid by this frantically busy trick!
Now I can not undertake to communicate the sheer brilliance of Adler's discerning mind with reference to OCD. If you truly wish to help a person who so afflicts themselves, you really need to read the article by the master himself in the most recently issued part of the translation project. Please get this volume to see Adler in his full stature and maturity as the end of his life is approaching. The article to which I refer is in Volume VII of the CCWAA page 25 "Compulsion Neurosis". If you are not familiar with Individual Psychology there are valid assumptions here that may annoy you. I commend to you the full study of this master of "field theory". You would be well advised to ask Henry Stein if you might study with him. Failing that, you might be able to find another classically trained Adlerian to introduce you to the riches of this "queen of the depth psychologies".
To obtain the book in question please go to this link:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...in/cwaa-v7.htm

[George Neeson]

The neurotic is all about looking great while frittering away time. The Compulsion neurosis is head and shoulders above most constructions in this regard. (Perhaps they can be surpassed by the psychotic who already is "God" a little god in his own kingdom!) The obsessed person is an artist painting this life time canvas in his own dark corner. He paints by the hour and with religious ardour, but he has no intention of really contributing to mankind. He just wants to look like he is.

Consider a male about age 40. He is the oldest child in his family who are from another culture living in a non-English speaking community. He lives in a little English speaking subdivision in this city. He feels he has ackward feet and can not run well so he can not participate in sports with his friends but he undertakes the amazing footwork of avoiding any possible crack in a sidewalk because if he ever steps on one, "someone will die!" His God like dispensation of mercy saves all his school friends from the hell they richly deserve for mocking his clumsy foot work. He can not, in his understanding, play sports with such a horrible impediment, so he goes to university to get a masters degree in English literature to write a "great novel like Tolstoy", but damn it, he has to make sure he never makes any spelling or syntactical errors, so one page of text may take days to write. But look at his superhuman effort compared to idiots like me that just let their typo's appear on the forum. He hides from the task of doing anything that will challenge his vanity. He never does put the words to the computer. He could be so great if only he were not obsessed by this devillish problem. And then of course he falls to his face in an agony of spirit in response to any "sin" and must punish himself by the most drastic means. He is so godly compared to the rest of us sinners who don't even see how horrible we are.
But the whole wretched mess is constructed such that he can never be put to the test. He begs his horrible affliction cause by a trick of brain chemistry, is the reason he has not written the great novel.
The good news is that he is getting more courage as we work together. He now is less comfortable with the trick and he actually has produced a work which was submitted. He is much more willing to become a fellow man. And look at the creativity of such a person. Anyone who can construct such a device is a cut above average in creativity and the challenge has been to have him embrace his uniqueness and create what he can to benefit mankind. It is joyous to see this occur. He is a very fine human being who was deeply hurt by his self deception and to see him freeing himself makes my long days fully worthwhile.

[Henry Stein]

Re: Chapter XIX

Later in the development of his theory (1929), Adler commented on the expressive movement of sleep postures. In Chapter X of Problems of Neurosis, he states:

"The bodily postures and attitudes (during sleep) always indicate the manner in which an individual approaches his goal. A person who goes straight on shows courage, whereas an adult who is anxious and hesitant has a style of life that prohibits direct action, and something of a detour appears in every action. We can always detect by the way in which an individual gives his hand whether he has social feeling and likes to be connected with others, A perfectly normal handshake is rather rare; it is usually overdone, underdone, or betrays a pushing-off or pulling-to tendency. It is noticeable in a tramcar that some people lean sideways; they wish to be supported and are quite oblivious of others' convenience. The same social insensibility is seen in those who cough in front of others, quite thoughtless of infecting them. Some, in entering a room, seem to keep instinctively at the greatest possible distance from everyone else. All these things reveal, more directly than their conversation, the attitudes that individuals assume towards life.

The attitudes adopted in sleep are as significant as the postures and movements of daily life. Very little children sleep upon their backs, with the arms raised; and when we see a child sleeping in this position we may assume that it is healthy. If the child changes this position and sleeps with the arms down, for example, some illness is to be suspected. Similarly, if an adult is accustomed to sleep in a certain position, and suddenly changes it, we may assume that something is altered in his mental attitude. Organic defects play their part, of course, in conditioning the sleeping posture. A person suffering from pneumonia or pleurisy will always sleep upon the defective side, sometimes without knowing why he does so. He does it unconsciously because it eases the breathing. Some persons who have heart trouble, or think they have, believe that they cannot sleep upon the left side. There is no organic reason for this, but they feel that they must be careful of the side which is the weaker.

When we see a person sleeping upon the back I stretched out like a soldier at attention, it is a sign that he wishes to appear as great as possible. One who lies curled up like a hedgehog with the sheet drawn over his head is not likely to be a striving or courageous character but is probably cowardly. We should be careful not to give him a difficult task until we have found out how to give him courage. A person who sleeps on his stomach betrays stubbornness and negativity.
By comparing the sleeping postures of patients in various hospitals with the reports of their daily life, I have concluded that the mental attitude is consistently expressed in both modes of life, sleeping and waking.
Some people turn a gradual somersault in sleep, and awake with their heads at the bottom of the bed and their feet on the bolster. Such people are psychically in an attitude of unusually strong opposition to the world, of the neurotic type which will often answer "No" before having understood the question. There are also patients who make a half-turn and sleep with their heads hanging down over the edge of the mattress. They develop headaches from this practice, which are generally used to escape the demands of the following day.

I was considerably puzzled by the discovery that some children sleep in a crouching position, resting on their knees and elbows like animals; but I finally found out that this is the best position in which to hear what is happening in the next room. It is adopted by children who have more than the normal desire to keep in contact with others, even in sleep, and they generally want to go to bed with the door open.

Thus all postures have a purposive nature. I once treated a man who had become blind, and since then had always wanted to hold his wife Is hand while he slept, which prevented her from moving. This was a pathetic disguise for a tyrannical tendency. When she resisted it he developed hallucinations at night, and imagined that burglars had caught her and carried her off. This hallucination was a development of the same line of action, to keep her in his power.

Restless sleepers, who keep moving all night, show that they are dissatisfied and want to be doing something more. It may also be a sign that they want to be watched by another person, usually by the mother. When children cry in sleep it is for the same reason, that they do not want to be alone but would like to ensure notice and protection. The quietest sleepers are those who are most settled in their attitude to the problems of life. Their lives being well organized by day they can use the night for its proper purl pose of rest and recreation, and their sleep is generally free from dreaming."

[Henry Stein]

On February 7th, we will begin a discussion of The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler, Volume 3, Chapters XXI & XXII. The following chapter summaries were prepared by Manu Jaaskelainen.

Ch. XXI "Individual-Psychological Remarks on Alfred Berger's Hofrat Eysenhardt" (1913) is a study on the book by Alfred Berger. A few words about Alfred Berger (1853-1912): he was a theater-director and a writer in Germany and in Austria. He was a baron (von Berger), but, as artist, was seemingly not very impressed by this. He was a director of Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg since 1899, and of the Burg-theater in Vienna since 1910 until his death. As a writer and as a director, he was a realist like Kleist, Hebbel and Ludwig, but never accepted extreme naturalism. Alfred Berger's book is a novel, but it is based on a real person in Habsburg-empire. It tells a story of an extraordinary man, a famous lawyer and attorney general. "His intellectual gifts and his prodigious memory astonished everybody." However, he was disappointed in his expectations. Adler's paper is an analysis of the neurotic breakdown of this remarkable and powerful man. No short summary can do justice to Adler's fine analytic skills. Adler interspersed psychological comments of general nature into the case-history, and thus creates an unusual atmosphere of intellectual understanding and enlightenment. In the end of his analysis, Adler says: "He [von Eysenhardt] protects himself at any rate by developing warning hallucinations and terrifying images. He has his hallucinations just as others have a feeling for society or a religion, in order to protect himself by means of an aggressiveness which defeat has called forth." - See also Editor's Preface - 2003 (p. ii).

Ch. XXII "On the Role of the Unconscious in Neurosis" (1913) is a discussion of the theory and uses of the idea of "unconscious". From Adler's point of view, unconscious refers to the fact that the personality ideal (or lifestyle) of the person in question is nor conscious. The psychological (and biological) function of the unconscious is that it facilitates acting in accordance with a uniformly directed lifeplan. Here Adler refers to Vaihinger and his theory of fictions "the psyche's guiding fiction lies in the unconscious realm, and its emergence into the conscious state for its ultimate purpose can in part be unnecessary, or even harmful." (p. 172).

To order your copy of Volume 3, go to http://go.ourworld.nu/hstein/cwaa-v3.htm.

[Henry Stein]

Re: Ch. XXI. From the Editor's Preface to Volume 3, p. ii:

"Adler’s article about Alfred Berger’s Hofrat Eysenhardt is especially fascinating, since it deals with an author’s creation of a fictional character. When I first discovered Adler’s writings, as a graduate student majoring in theatre arts, I was astounded with the abundant parallels between Adler’s view of personality structure and the dramatic theory of Constantine Stanislavksi, the great Russian theater director. Stanslavski suggested that the actor and director analyze fictional character using tools and terms remarkably similar to Adler’s constructs for understanding real people. For example, Stanislavski’s construct of the “superobjective” is nearly identical to Adler’s construct of the “fictional final goal.” It is not surprising that two highly creative minds from different fields, contemplating the dynamics of human behavior, would arrive at similar teleological conclusions. Adler often commented that understanding human nature was more of an art than a science."

[George Neeson]

The Unconscious and Adler:

I really can not define Adler's notion of the unconscious perhaps because he really does not believe in it, save as a trick or a device to circumvent common sense in the maintanence of the life plan.
Here is a direct quote from volume III of the CCWAA pages 171 and 172:

Another way of expressing this, based on these findings, is pointing out that this same goal, or fragments of experiences and fantasies associated with this goal, are accessible to the conscious state to an extent and in a form that they advance, not obstruct, attaining the personality ideal. The biological meaning of being conscious, as well as what has been described as a part of the unconscious, is-that it must facilitate acting in accordance with a uniformly directed life plan. This view agrees in part with Vaihinger's and Bergson's profound theories, and points to an instinct-arisen quality of consciousness appropriate for aggression. Even the conscious imagination that pursues a hyper-tensed neurotic ideal is thus, in terms of its consciousness, a psychological dodge. This can clearly be established from an analyses of an outsized ego, mania, hallucinations and psychosis in general, admittedly without the operational plan, that is the meaning of the manifestations in these cases, rising into consciousness or becoming understandable. Every conscious manifestation of the psyche, accordingly, directs us, like the unconscious impulse, if it is correctly understood, toward the unconscious fictitious final goal. The vulgar expression "superficial consciousness" can mislead only those who are unfamiliar with this connection. The apparent antithesis between conscious and unconscious impulses is simply a contrast of means for the ultimate purpose of enhancing the personality. It becomes irrelevant and is not therefore the fictitious goal of god-likeness.

This ultimate purpose, however, and every hyper-tensed form that purpose assumes, must remain unintelligible in the unconscious if, because of its marked contrast with reality, it becomes impossible to act in accordance with the neurotic guiding line. Where a conscious awareness as a way of life becomes necessary to protect the unity of the personality ideal, it will appear in an appropriate form and to the right degree. Even the fictitious goal, the neurotic life plan, can partly come into consciousness, if that appears appropriate for enhancing the personality feeling. This is particularly the case with psychoses. However, as soon as the neurotic goal might nullify itself for having come into consciousness, which would always be because it had come into serious conflict with the social feeling, it will form the life plan in the unconscious.



I would really appreciate someone (Henry??? ) talking about Adler's notion of the "unconscious" to assure that we are talking about the same thing. My experience as a therapist is that in other than very troubled people, the so called unconscious is really not far below the surface and I see that little smile of recognition as I pull the mechanism to the forground as long as I do so in a friendly and gentle manner. As for the subconscious, I now reject the notion entirely although I will acknowledge that a life plan put into effect at age 4 or 5 may not be self evident.

[Henry Stein]

George,

The "unconscious" is not a region of the mind, but a variation of functioning, much as being awake, focused, daydreaming, hypnotized, or asleep are variations. One can only be conscious of so much at one time, or it would be overwhelming. So the unconscious is a relatively efficient state for leaving stuff in the background until it is needed to serve the immediate, ever changing needs and purposes of the individual. However, there is also the potential for mischief, especially in the pursuit of a social exploitive goal--whatever doesn't serve his goal is excluded. If I am not consciously aware of my intentions, I probably don't feel completely responsible for what I do. Just as enough alcohol can inhibit or dissolve critical thinking, leaving intentions in the unconscious, remove them from critical review--a neat trick to by-pass one's deficient level of social interest. However, this semi-fuzziness of awareness is usually only one-sided; one can still retain a keen awareness of the other person's "lack of consideration" and mobilize sharp criticism of him. This convenient, selective "half-consciousness" is typical of most neurotic and criminal thinking: expecting, demanding, and exploiting social interest from others, but feeling little or no obligation to reciprocate.


A few quotes from Adler's later writings:

(From "Individual Psychology and Psychoanalysis," CCWAA, Volume 7, Chapter III.)

This unity, personality, and unconscious life plan concurrently integrate his reasoning, feelings, actions, and desires as well as all character traits, conscious and unconscious. When this “conscious” is taken literally, he who has not understood that a conscious event can mean “its actual opposite,” or that modesty can also signify arrogance (Socrates), will believe he has discovered contrasts between the conscious and the unconscious. Whoever has not understood that conflicts in the conscious and the unconscious reflect conflicting Individual Psychology and Psychoanalysis 23 doubts as part of the “hesitating attitude” will miss the synchronism.

(From "The Structures of Psychic Activity," CCWAA, Volume 7, Chapter IV.)

As a result of such a one-sided accent, a fundamental part of psychic events seems to take place in the “unconscious.” However, some psychologists do not understand the connection with the individual lifestyle, as for instance when a compulsive neurotic indulges in brooding with words about “what is man,” “why is he called man,” without understanding the connection with the ever-present stirred-up feelings and attitude.

Abuse of the concept of the unconscious becomes even clearer when examining people whose sensing, feeling, and experiencing is overemphasized, so that thinking and comprehension seem to have disappeared within their attitude. In such cases, if the evaluation is superficial, the impression may easily be made that we have lifted something from the unconscious into the conscious. This happens as soon as we turn both feeling process and attitude into comprehension. It happens in that kind of treatment when explanations and going back to the causes of a mistake are used to illuminate the connections intellectually.

Also, the position the individual takes, his attitude to life in all its peculiarity, in conjunction with his individual lifestyle, remains almost always not understood, and at best becomes experienced as justified under pressure of the lifestyle. In other cases, of either a cooperating or uncooperating person, his attitude, meaning his individual activity, may be the visually most important aspect of his life and as such should be evaluated.

(From "The Neurotics's Picture of the World," CCWAA, Volum 7, Chapter XXII.)

We can observe in the whole life-style, in every element of behavior, in thoughts, emotions, and actions, simply the direction selected by the individual for his striving. What is left over after this process of elimination by the life-style, remains as part of the psychic life and operates “unconsciously,” as some authors put it, or as we say, “not-understood;” the individual with the life-style in question withdraws from conscious awareness any exclusions dictated by it. The neurotic can maintain his mistaken picture of the world only with the help of such auxiliary forces and devices as he has withdrawn from critical review. The attitude of our patient accordingly shows how he sought to maintain his neurotic circle of relationships and activity by eliminating other relationships and spheres of activity. He narrowed down the radius of his activities in attempting to protect the fiction of his own uniqueness.