According to Jung, what do symptoms of psychopathology represent?

Jung believed that symptoms of psychopathology serve as unconscious messages that reveal unmet tasks or needs that the individual must address for psychological growth and integration. According to his analytical psychology, these symptoms often arise from the conflict between the conscious mind and the unconscious, particularly when aspects of the self, such as repressed feelings or unacknowledged desires, are not allowed to come to the surface.

Jung emphasized the importance of understanding these symptoms not merely as disturbances, but as opportunities for self-exploration and personal development. He saw them as products of the psyche striving for balance and wholeness, indicating a longing for integration of different parts of the self. This perspective encourages individuals to explore the underlying messages within their symptoms, which can lead to healing and greater self-awareness.

This approach contrasts with views that attribute psychological symptoms merely to cognitive dysfunction, biological disorders, or learned behaviors, as it acknowledges the deeper, more complex interplay between consciousness and the unconscious in shaping human experience.