Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, did experience a period of intense psychological turmoil and inner exploration between 1913 and 1917. During this time, Jung went through what he referred to as his "confrontation with the unconscious," which led to the development of his seminal work, "The Red Book" (also known as "Liber Novus").
Jung's personal crisis began in 1913 when he started experiencing vivid and powerful visions and dreams. He described these experiences as psychotic episodes, during which he encountered hallucinations and heard inner voices. He felt like he was losing his sense of identity and feared that he might be going insane. However, Jung decided not to suppress or ignore these experiences but instead embarked on a deliberate exploration of his inner world.
He began to record his visions, dreams, and thoughts in a large, red leather-bound book, which later became known as "The Red Book." This book served as a kind of personal journal where Jung documented his profound and transformative inner experiences. He engaged in active imagination and self-analysis, allowing the unconscious to express itself freely through various symbolic and archetypal images.
"The Red Book" is a unique and highly significant work in the history of psychology and psychoanalysis. It contains intricate illustrations and text that explore Jung's encounters with his unconscious mind. In the process of this introspective journey, Jung engaged with powerful archetypal figures and explored the depths of his psyche.
These experiences and his work on "The Red Book" were instrumental in shaping Jung's theories on the collective unconscious, archetypes, and the process of individuation—the journey towards becoming a complete and integrated individual.
While Jung's experiences during this period were challenging and unsettling, he emerged from it with a deeper understanding of the human psyche and the therapeutic value of exploring the unconscious. This period of introspection profoundly influenced his subsequent work and the development of analytical psychology as a psychological approach.
It's important to note that Jung's experiences during this time were not necessarily a classical psychosis in the diagnostic sense, as they were not associated with a loss of touch with reality or an impaired ability to function in daily life. Instead, they were more akin to a profound spiritual and psychological crisis that led to his personal transformation and the expansion of his theoretical framework.