Topic: Psychoanalysis

A comparison is drawn between Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung regarding their engagement with the paranormal. While Freud experienced bizarre visions and hauntings—including a sighting of his own "shadow self"—he attempted to repress these events in favor of materialism. In contrast, Jung embraced his mystical experiences and background in seances, leading to a philosophy that has arguably remained more influential in modern spiritual circles.

Ryan Peverly defines the "emotional plague of mankind" as the culmination of Wilhelm Reich's body of work, describing it as a biological character flaw rooted in human ignorance and naivete. This concept involves "armored individuals" who are resistant to natural energy flow and seek to dictate the lives of others. Peverly argues that Reich's background as a psychoanalyst and biologist led him to view this plague as a greater threat to humanity than any physical disease.

Wilhelm Reich served as Sigmund Freud's primary assistant for six years before the two parted ways in 1929. The split occurred when Reich proposed that all human neuroses were rooted in sexual dysfunction, a claim Freud found too extreme for Victorian Vienna. Following his departure, colleagues within the Freudian circle began a campaign to label Reich as mentally unstable to protect the institution of psychoanalysis.