The Psychoanalytic Theory of NeurosisRecommendations

Anna Freud lamented the loss of Otto Fenichel's "inexhaustible knowledge of psychoanalysis and his distinctive style of collecting and presenting his findings" when he died abruptly at the age of 48. His classic text, which has served as a beacon for generations of psychoanalysts, exemplifies these features. Fenichel believes that "neuroses are social diseases," originating from the demands of civilization on the developing organism, after investigating the relationship between biological needs and environmental influences the tensions and inhibitions that feed neuroses. Leo Rangell, a renowned psychotherapist, has prepared an introduction to provide the context for Fenichel's work and an epilogue to describe its influence for this 50th anniversary edition.