Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Oral

The oral stage is the first stage of psychosexual development in humans, as proposed by Sigmund Freud. This stage spans from birth to approximately 12 to 18 months of age.

During this period, the mouth serves as the primary source of pleasure, with behaviors such as sucking, chewing, biting, and drinking helping to reduce the infant's tension.

Weaning from the breast or bottle typically occurs around one year of age, and if not managed properly by caregivers, the child may experience excessive frustration or deprivation.

According to Freud, unresolved conflicts during the weaning stage can lead to fixation in the oral stage, potentially resulting in behaviors like smoking, overeating, nail-biting, or excessive drinking in adulthood.

These behaviors in adulthood are viewed as efforts to relieve anxiety rooted in unresolved needs during infancy.

Freud suggested that adults with oral fixation might rely on others when under stress, becoming overly dependent on others for reassurance, much like how an infant relies on the mother for comfort.