Drs. Sachs and Freud; psychic determinism; brains working at a subconscious level. Vienna book

I recently read a book, a very long and complex book. This in itself should not be cause for celebration, but I must admit that I’m rather proud of my accomplishment. The book was over 500 pages in length, and contained some heavy-duty philosophy, art history, and psychology. It was not easily digestible, but rather it took serious thought and focus. I set out to read 100 pages of this book each month for five months. I began reading on January 23, 2023 and crossed the finish line a little less than five months later (June 10, 2023). Several months have passed since then, and I still hold on to the ideas I explored in this book. Ideas that germinated in early 20th century Vienna, the time of Sigmund Freud, the so-called father of psychoanalysis.

One of many important ideas put forth by Dr. Freud is the concept of psychic determinism, the idea that our unconscious mind foreshadows or even dictates, the direction of one’s mental life. It’s a weighty idea, to be sure. I’m fascinated by it because I’ve experienced it in my own life. Freud espoused the idea that we should listen to our unconscious mind, because it never lies. Ideas that germinate in our unconscious, or sub-conscious, even pre-conscious mind are legitimate indicators of how we will develop or where our minds will lead us. Perhaps you’ve had a thought or a dream, and forgotten about it for months or even years. At some time down the road, when you least expect it, the idea reappears in a fully-developed form, resulting in a creative burst. One of my favorite writers, Dr. Oliver Sacks, echoes this idea in his brilliant essay “The Creative Self”.

If we accept the idea that our brains are working at a sub-conscious level, even while our conscious mind is occupied with other work, then it is not too much of a stretch for us to believe that our senses seem to take care of one another, or compensate for a compromised sense. For instance, someone whose sight is compromised may experience a heightened sense of hearing or smell. Or, a deaf or hard of hearing individual will develop their ability to read lips and facial expressions in order to experience a deep connection of communication with the other person.
As a PWP (Person with Parkinson’s), I’ve noticed this at play in my own experience. Because my sense of equilibrium is compromised, I tend to rely more on my sense of touch for balance. Lightly touching a hand rail or wall gives me a comfortable amount of balance that I would not have otherwise. If nothing is available to hold or touch, I need to concentrate on my walking to the extent that I don’t always look around me while moving. This can be a little dangerous, especially when crossing a busy street or walking in a crowded parking lot. In cases like this, I’d like to believe that my hearing will also become more acute, but I don’t have any proof of that yet.

Parkinson’s Disease is a fascinating condition. I accept it as an ailment that will only worsen with time. However, I’m intrigued with the ways in which the brain is affected and changed to adapt to this condition. I need to remind myself to be open to the experiences of life, even though they will be altered due to Parkinson’s. I must not let Parkinson’s limit my life experiences, even though the steps I take towards those experiences will probably be uneven and labored.

601 words
August 30, 2023: Day 31
Success!