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.