SIGMUND FREUD, FEMALE HOMOSEXUALITY

To a physician who was to undertake psychoanal-ytic treatment of the girl there were many groun-ds for a feeling of discomfort. The situation he had to deal with was not the one that analysis deman-ds, in which alone it can demonstrate its effective-ness. As is well known, the ideal situation for analysis is when someone who is otherwise master of himself is suffering from an inner confli-ct which he is unable to resolve alone, so that he brings his trouble to the analyst and begs for his help. The physician then works hand in hand with one part of the personality which is divided against itself, against the other partner in the conflict. Any situation but this is more or less unfavourable for psychoanalysis and adds fresh difficulties to those already present.