Psychoanalysis and the Internet: The public image of psychoanalysis in a new medium

The profession of psychoanalysis has had difficulty establishing its image and value within the mind of today's general public. At one time deeply ingrained in popular culture and widely discussed, psychoanalysis' prominence in the media and popular culture has been substantially reduced. Cultural changes have led some to ponder the present utility of psychoanalysis and to describe it as being in a state of crisis (Sanville, 2000; Eizirik, 1997; Hale 1995; Holt, 1992).; Psychoanalysis' current situation can be traced, in part, to popular media coverage and limited efforts by the psychoanalytic community to inform others about psychoanalytic thought and practices. Changes in medical concepts of science and the influence of somatic psychiatry have also impacted psychoanalysis' prestige. Psychotropic medications and alternative psychotherapies, including psychoanalytic psychotherapy have replaced psychoanalysis as a treatment of choice (Lazarus, 2000; Hale, 1995; Gelb, 1989). The paper discusses the history of psychoanalysis' public image in the United States and the role the popular press has played in its development. The final section provides a guided summary of the Internet websites of the American Psychoanalytic Association and its affiliated organizations. Important problems are identified and recommendations are made for improving the profession's use of the relatively new and popular medium.