Cäcilie M. (Anna von Lieben, born Anna von Tedesco; c. 1847–1900) is the pseudonym of one of Freud's first patients, whom he called in 1890 his "principal client" and in 1897 his "instructress".
Life Born into a rich Austrian Jewish family, Anna von Lieben was referred to Freud in the late eighties for help with a long-standing series of nervous disorders. After referring her for a consultation with Charcot, Freud treated her (with some short-term success) through hypnotism, taking her with him to see Hippolyte Bernheim in 1889 in the (unsuccessful) hope that he might be able to work a permanent cure. He also used abreaction for temporary relief of her symptoms, noting, however, that her sense of guilt and self-reproaches would swiftly return after the treatment sessions. Her symptoms, including hallucinations and physical spasms, provided the basis for many of Freud's claims about conversion hysteria; and how to interpret back from physical symptom or hallucination to the underlying (symbolic) emotional meaning it expressed, often by a "punning" logic.
Criticism Freud's later critics have argued that his continuing treatment of Anna, given awareness of her incurability, amounted to using her as a kind of cash-cow. Freud continued during the six years of psychoanalysis to treat her continuously with injections of morphine without any success or therapeutic result.
See also
References
Further reading Peter J. Swales, "Freud, his Teacher, and the Birth of Psychoanalysis", in Paul E. Stepansky, ed., Freud, Appraisals and Reappraisals, vol. 1 (1986) 3-82
External links Cäcilie M., Case of Anna von Lieben, Gedichte (1867-1870) Anna von Lieben, Gedichte (1867-1873)