autopsychoanalysis
|au-to-psy-cho-an-a-ly-sis|
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/ˌɔːtəˌsaɪkoʊəˈnæləsɪs/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəˌsaɪkəʊəˈnæləsɪs/
self-directed psychoanalysis
Etymology
'autopsychoanalysis' originates as a modern English formation combining the Greek-derived prefix 'auto-' meaning 'self' and the noun 'psychoanalysis' (from German 'Psychoanalyse', itself from Greek 'psyche' and analysis).
'psychoanalysis' was coined in German (Psychoanalyse) in the late 19th–early 20th century (notably associated with Sigmund Freud); 'autopsychoanalysis' is a later compound formed in English by attaching 'auto-' to 'psychoanalysis' to denote self-directed application.
Initially used to denote literal self-application of psychoanalytic techniques, the term has also been used more broadly in literary and philosophical contexts to mean intensive self-examination of one's motives and history.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of applying psychoanalytic methods and interpretation to oneself; self-directed psychoanalysis or intensive self-analysis.
After years of therapy, he practiced autopsychoanalysis to explore recurring patterns in his relationships.
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Noun 2
a critical or literary practice of examining one's own psychological motives and history, often used in scholarly, philosophical, or narrative contexts rather than as formal clinical therapy.
The writer's memoir reads like a sustained autopsychoanalysis of motives behind his life choices.
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Last updated: 2025/11/28 03:12