L'auto-analyse

Je le lis en anglais, dans une version numérisée.
I t was frequently declared, and the opinion is still widespread, that analysis is the only means of furthering personality growth. Needless to say, that is not true.
Life itself is the most effective help for our development.
The hardships that life forces upon us—a necessity to leave one's country, organic illness, periods of solitude—and also its gifts—a good friendship, even a mere contact with a truly good and valuable human being, cooperative work in groups—all such factors can help us reach our full potential.
Unfortunately, the assistance thus offered has certain disadvantages: the beneficent factors do not always come at the time we need them; the hardships may not only be a challenge to our activity and courage but surpass our available strength and merely crush us; finally, we may be too entangled in psychic difficulties to be able to utilize the help offered by life.
Since psychoanalysis has not these disadvantages—though it has others —it can legitimately take its place as one specific means in the service of personal development.
Any help of this kind is made doubly necessary by the intricate and difficult conditions that we all live under in our civilization.
But professional analytical help, even if it could be made available to more people, can scarcely reach everyone whom it is capable of benefiting.
It is for this reason that the question of self-analysis has importance.