Personality: The Human Potential

Personality: The Human Potential is a collection of psychological studies that reflect some of the author's experiences in analyzing human conflict and suffering. Based on the spirit of psychotherapeutic work whose goal is to uncover the core of the patient's personality, the book explores the major emotional problems of contemporary life, particularly the critical turning-points in people's lives. Its purpose and challenge is to indicate how our underdeveloped and conflicted minds may be better understood and, through understanding, help us to realize our human potentialities. It demonstrates how psychological understanding offers a person a rare, and not often repeated, challenge and opportunity to truly alter the course of his life. This volume consists of 17 chapters and begins with an introduction to the social and psychological ills of today, laying particular emphasis on the ''signals of decay.'' Attention then turns to the emotional development of man from infancy to adulthood in hopes of understanding the roots of our irrationalities and inner conflicts and discovering ways of resolving them. The chapters that follow focus on the concept of repetition compulsion, the behavior of uncommitted people, and problems such as schizophrenia, drug addiction, homosexuality, suicide, sexual problems, and pregnancy and abortion. The book also discusses panic states, marital relationships, antisocial behavior, and how psychology can help resolve the basic roots of an individual's inner conflicts so that he may be freed to fully realize his potentialities. Patients and psychotherapists will find this book extremely helpful.