Freud and Psychodynamics

An interesting question is how much Freudian theory or psychodynamics we use. Psychodynamics is the study of conscious and unconscious forces that underlie human behavior. We don't use very much of that clinically as psychiatrists. However, one of my attendings is very interested in psychodynamic theory and likes to conjecture on unconscious motivation. For example, we saw a patient who was somewhat hostile to us. In his garbled history, he noted a past conflict with child protective services over the treatment of his daughter. The attending suggested that the patient's hostility could have stemmed partly from the resident being a woman at the approximate age of the daughter. This could have stirred unconscious emotions related to that conflict.

It is fascinating to conjecture on what possible strange forces affect our behavior without our knowing. What causes our emotional lability? Why do certain people affect us more than others? Can you rationally explain emotional outbursts or episodes of depression? How come some minor suggestions trigger such powerful responses? I probably should never admit this, but I do like pretending to psychoanalyze my own behavior and those around me.