Grounded in the natural philosophy of the Middle Ages, alchemy formed a bridge: on the one hand into the past, to Gnosticism, and on the other into the future, to the modern psychology of the unconscious.
Carl JungRead
Neurosis is the natural by-product of pain avoidance.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Neurosis arises from our attempts to avoid pain and discomfort.
Carl Jung suggests that neurosis, which refers to various psychological issues, is a consequence of our inherent tendency to dodge pain. Instead of confronting our discomforts, we create mental barriers that can lead to emotional disturbances, indicating that facing our fears and emotional pain is essential for mental well-being.
Themes
NeurosisPainAvoidancePsychologyMental Health
In practice
Example use cases
In a mental health seminar discussing coping mechanisms, one might say, 'As Carl Jung noted, neurosis is the natural by-product of pain avoidance.'
More from Carl Jung
All quotes βThe majority of my patients consisted not of believers but of those who had lost their faith.
Carl JungRead
Complexes are psychic contents which are outside the control of the conscious mind. They have been split off from consciousness and lead a separate existence in the unconscious, being at all times ready to hinder or to reinforce the conscious intentions.
Carl JungRead
We are in a far better position to observe instincts in animals or in primitives than in ourselves. This is due to the fact that we have grown accustomed to scrutinizing our own actions and to seeking rational explanations for them.
Carl JungRead
From the viewpoint of analytic psychology, the theatre, aside from any aesthetic value, may be considered as an institution for the treatment of the mass complex.
Carl JungRead
I have treated many hundreds of patients. Among those in the second half of life - that is to say, over 35 - there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.
Carl JungRead
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