Lehrbuch der Psychodynamik

For psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Stavros Mentzos, a descriptive approach to diagnosing mental disorders is not sufficient. He looks beyond the symptoms and explores the underlying psychodynamic processes. In his counterproposal to the medical classification system ICD-10, intrapsychic conflicts and their modes of processing play a central role. The fundamental assumption is that mental symptoms are not merely deficient manifestations but should also be understood as dynamic entities with their own functions. For example, self-harming behavior initially provides emotional relief to the individual. The textbook contains psychodynamic explanations for various disorders such as phobias, obsessions, depression, mania, personality disorders, and psychoses. It is structured according to common classifications.