Psychoanalysis is a piece of the work of conciliation with one's own origins. The important ability to be implacable, attached to the wrong place in the neurotic unforgivingness toward ... [my] parents, has been freed for aspects of life where it can be used for efforts directed toward social change, the changing of conditions that cause avoidable suffering to countless human beings. The longtime impassable road of affection toward my parents, based on humor, has been re-opened.[2] [2] Tilmann Moser, _Years of Apprenticeship on the Couch: Fragments of My Psychoanalysis_, trans. by Anselm Hollo (New York: Urizen Books, 1977), p. 18. APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOANALYSIS In general, psychoanalysis is successful in bringing about what are called _broad-spectrum improvements_. It is less intended for abatement of specific symptoms. In other words, those with highly _specific_ goals they wish to achieve through therapy tend not to be good candidates for analysis. For example, a person seeking specific and prompt relief from depression, public-speaking anxiety, or shyness may not be appropriate for psychoanalysis. Long-term, intensive psychoanalysis, because it is long-lasting and very detailed, can lead to very broad improvements: a sense of increased satisfaction in daily living; a stronger, more positive sense of self-esteem; a greater capacity to enjoy and be at ease with others. In the process, specific symptoms often do subside or disappear, but the focus is general, and the patient must be willing to embrace a commitment to general improvement. On the other hand, _brief_ psychoanalysis may begin by focusing on specific problems experienced by a patient, but treatment quickly widens in scope to touch on matters that affect the {121} patient's life in a general way. We saw this in Bobby's case, where recurrent night terrors revealed his general need for the greater emotional stability that comes from feeling settled, having friends, etc. Psychoanalysis is best suited to problems that fall into two categories: * Problems that are clearly "neurotic" in nature: they interfere with living to some degree but do not totally impair you so that your life is clearly out of control, as in cases involving psychoses (where you are no longer able to distinguish reality from fantasies and hallucinations), alcoholism, or drug addiction * Problems that involve sexual difficulties, mood disturbances, and impairment of personal relations, assuming that you are willing to work on these problems within the wider focus that analysis usually requires