CHAPTER X

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UNCONSCIOUS IN PSYCHOPATHOLOGY 278

Content of the unconscious--Defined as sum of all psychical processes below the threshold of consciousness--Answer to question how does the unconscious behave in neurosis found in its effect on normal consciousness--Example of a merchant--Compensating function of the unconscious--Symptomatic acts--Nebuchadnezzar's dream discussed--Intuitive ideas, and insane manifestations both emanate from the unconscious--Eccentricities pre-exist a breakdown--In mental disorder unconscious processes break-through into consciousness and disturb equilibrium--True also in fanaticism--Pathological compensation in case of paranoia--Unconscious processes have to struggle against resistances in the conscious mind--Distortion--In morbid conditions the function of the unconscious is one of compensation.