Job wrote:My new job's workload is pretty heavy, however I'm starting to develop new routines and I hope to carve out some time each day to exercise and relax. If all goes well, I should be able to at least post a couple of entries during the weekdays and catch up on all responses on weekends. As you see, I was able to make a couple of posts this evening.
As for the Psychoanalysis skill discussions above, I can understand why it would seem strange for an investigator to be able to psychoanalyze himself, but the 6th edition rules do not strictly forbid it. Further, I remember reading somewhere that a key part of a psychologist's training is that they must spend a great deal of time performing self-analysis in order to understand and improve their own thinking and behaviors. Would this not suggest that an investigator with the Psychoanalysis skill could spend time assessing his own insanity and perhaps "staunch temporary and indefinite insanity for a day or so" as the rules state?Túrin Turambar wrote:About self-analyzing:
As far as I know (both my parents are psychologists) that would be impossible, especially in Psychoanalysis (the branch of Psychology that dominated completely during this time).
I'm not a psychologist, though. Túrin, I understand that CoC is a game, but could you ask your parents whether this (i.e.an investigator psychoanalyzing themselves to fend off an insanity) might be within the realm of possibility. Your parents will probably decide that I need psychoanalysis for asking this... If you've already asked them, and if they respond "No", then I'll accept that and will rule that an investigator cannot Psychoanalyze themself.
This is a wonderful discussion!
Thanks!
Job.
I discussed this with my mother today and the answer was naturally a bit ambiguous. Sigmund Freud, who developed the foundations of Psychoanalysis claimed that it was dangerous and not constructive to try and analyze yourself. In 1942, Karen Horney, a Neo-Freudian, wrote a book claiming that self-analyzis could be a good method. She was however rather alone to have this view. So, in the 20's and 30's, no Psychoanalysis educations would advise self-analysis. On the other hand, many of the forerunners in the field had (of course) no therapists of their own, but had to analyze their own emotions and inner worlds. The self-analysis in Psychologists' training that you referred to is conducted with the help of other Psychologists that have already finished their education. You are "treated" yourself to understand how the method works.
The conclusion would be that people who had learnt Psychoanalysis during this time would have learnt that self-analysis did not work and was potentially dangerous, but that very special individuals might have the insight into themselves to be able to do self-analyzing to some degree. Most people, however, would need another as guide on their inner journey.
goodie
