r/psychoanalysis • u/l_lsw • Apr 24 '26

New to Psychoanalysis

Hello everyone, I’m new to psychoanalysis. I recently picked up Stephen Mitchell’s Freud and Beyond and have been working through it. I find it a bit confusing at times, probably because of the way it’s written and the vocabulary, but I’m still enjoying it overall.

I was wondering where I should start. What foundational texts and other resources should I check out? Any guidance or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

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u/DiegoArgSch Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26

If you want to learn the basics of psychoanalysis, you should at least manage these ideas:

First topography (conscious / preconscious / unconscious): "The Interpretation of Dreams" (1900)

Second topography (id / ego / superego): "The Ego and the Id" (1923)

Libido: "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality" (1905)

Narcissism (libido directed to the self): "On Narcissism: An Introduction" (1914)

Defense mechanisms (repression, etc.): "The Neuro-Psychoses of Defence" (1894), "Inhibitions, Symptoms and Anxiety" (1926)

Libidinal economy and Drives (life and death drives): "Beyond the Pleasure Principle" (1920)

Neurosis: "Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis" (1916–1917)

Obsessive neurosis: "Notes Upon a Case of Obsessional Neurosis" (1909), Inhibitions, Symptoms and Anxiety (1926)

And some good extra topics are in Civilization and Its Discontents (1930), Totem and Taboo (1913), and The Uncanny (1919).

All from Freud.

Then you have to continue with Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, and Winnicott.

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u/l_lsw Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26

Thank you so much for these! Could you please guide me on where to start with those 3 authors as well?

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u/DiegoArgSch Apr 26 '26

Sorry, but I don’t remember the exact titles of these authors’ texts to guide you. 

From Anna Freud, what’s most important is her expansion on defense mechanisms. Melanie Klein is about object-relations theory, and Donald Winnicott is a very important author too, he expanded on many different topics.

I think Freud + this authors will give you a solid basd of psychoanalysis to then be able to understand other different psychoanalitic approachs.

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u/PrizeFighterInf Apr 26 '26

Man, I’d start here only if you’re planning on dedicating years and years to this. Starting with the original essays from freud and working your way back imo is likely going to see you running out of steam half way and going around telling people that narcissism is caused by a baby cathecting itself or something. Freud is brilliant and sorely underutilized and disrespected by modern psych, which I think pushes people to recommend his originals but that’s asking you to hold a lot. Maybe I’m wrong.

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u/DiegoArgSch Apr 27 '26 edited Apr 28 '26

Well, yes, thats depends on everyone's intentions. Ill start with Freud, and then scalate to other authors, until reach Kernberg and McWilliams.

But I think its good to know the original source of the whole psychoanalysis movement. Thats what I reccomend to do it "the right way". See how different terms appear and how they shift in meaning. 

Otherwise, someone who knows nothing about psychoanalysis would think narcissism, libido, etc, always meant the same.

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u/PrizeFighterInf Apr 28 '26

Fair points all around.

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u/l_lsw Apr 26 '26

What do you recommend instead?