Wilhelm Reich (24 March 1897 – 3 November 1957) was an Austrian doctor of medicine and a psychoanalyst, along with being a member of the second generation of analysts after Sigmund Freud. The author of several influential books, most notably The Impulsive Character (1925), Character Analysis (1933), and The Mass Psychology of Fascism (1933), he became known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry.Reich's work on character contributed to the development of Anna Freud's The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence (1936), and his idea of muscular armour—the expression of the personality in the way the body moves—shaped innovations such as body psychotherapy, Gestalt therapy, bioenergetic analysis and primal therapy. His writing influenced generations of intellectuals; he coined the phrase "the sexual revolution" and according to one historian acted as its midwife. During the 1968 student uprisings in Paris and Berlin, students scrawled his name on walls and threw copies of The Mass Psychology of Fascism at police.After graduating in medicine from the University of Vienna in 1922, Reich became deputy director of Freud's outpatient clinic, the Vienna Ambulatorium. During the 1930s, he was part of a general trend among younger analysts and Frankfurt sociologists that tried to reconcile psychoanalysis with Marxism. He is credited for establishing the first sexual advisory clinics in Vienna, along with Marie Frischauf. He said he wanted to "attack the neurosis by its prevention rather than treatment".He moved to New York in 1939, after having accepted a position as Assistant Professor at the New School of Social Research. During his five years in Oslo, he had coined the term "orgone energy"—from "orgasm" and "organism"—for the notion of life energy. In 1940 he started building orgone accumulators, modified Faraday cages that he claimed were beneficial for cancer patients. He claimed that his laboratory cancer mice had had remarkable positive effects from being kept in a Faraday cage, so he built human-size versions, where one could sit inside. This led to newspaper stories about "sex boxes" that cured cancer.Following two critical articles about him in The New Republic and Harper's in 1947, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration obtained an injunction against the interstate shipment of orgone accumulators and associated literature, believing they were dealing with a "fraud of the first magnitude". Charged with contempt in 1956 for having violated the injunction, Reich was sentenced to two years imprisonment, and that summer over six tons of his publications were burned by order of the court. He died in prison of heart failure just over a year later, days before he was due to apply for parole.
Sol turns thousands of years of human wisdom from the world’s spiritual traditions into a totally unique personality profile. To get your own profile, check compatibility with friends and much more, download the Sol App today.
Some of their strengths
Wilhelm Reich has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Intense, Brave, Honest, Passionate, Generous, and Creative.
Independent and Brave
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Wilhelm Reich is someone who is an independent, brave, and honest person who approaches life with energy, intuition, passion, and generosity. A person who is ambitious and motivated.
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Wilhelm Reich well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Inventive and Clever
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Wilhelm Reich as someone who is flexible, intelligent, and quick-witted.
A person who likes to be creative, and to be recognized for their artistic talents. Who possesses intelligence, mental discipline, and ambition, and who does well in relationships and partnerships.
Charismatic and Instinctual
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Wilhelm Reich is someone who handles stress better than most people, and who tends to have a powerful charisma and convictions.
They are also someone who is curious, dynamic, and positive, and who enjoys inspiring and communicating with other people.
Independent and Dynamic
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Wilhelm Reich tends to be someone who is independent, dynamic, and courageous. Who can be positive, energetic, self-reliant, and adventurous, and who can make friends easily.
Some of Wilhelm Reich's challenges
While Wilhelm Reich has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Wilhelm Reich can be Short-tempered, Emotional, Impulsive, Careless, Standoffish, Unfocused, and Indecisive.
Short-tempered and Impulsive
One of Wilhelm Reich's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as short-tempered and impulsive.
Wilhelm Reich must also exercise caution as they can be short-tempered and aggressive.
Unfocused and Indecisive
Wilhelm Reich is someone who can be scattered, restless, and insensitive, be distracted by fluctuating professional interests, be a workaholic, and who can be arrogant and have difficulty accepting advice.
Aggressive and Domineering
Finally, Wilhelm Reich also can be aggressive, impatient, impulsive, and short-tempered.
