Bicol University Polangui Campus

Polangui, Albay
AY: 2017 – 2018
Topic: Neurosis and Its Categories
Discussant: Iris G. Abila
Course: BEEd 4A
Subject: Guidance and Counseling

Abnormal Behavior
A. Neurosis and its categories
Psychoneurosis (Neurosis)
Freud explained that neuroses are the conditions used to describe mental disorders arising
from anxiety whose symptoms interfere with normal functioning but do not block it entirely.
Conditions that used to be termed “neurosis” include phobias, obsessions and compulsions,
some depressions and amnesia. These mental disorders do not represent a break from reality,
and while these disorders interfere with normal functioning, the do not call for
hospitalization.
Psychiatrists first used the term neurosis in the mid-19th century to categorize symptoms thought
to be neurological in origin; the prefix “psycho-” was added some decades later when it became
clear that mental and emotional factors were important in the etiology of these disorders.
What is Neurosis?
Neurosis may be defined simply as a "poor ability to adapt to one's environment, an inability to
change one's life patterns, and the inability to develop a richer, more complex, more satisfying
personality."
The cardinal feature of neurosis is anxiety. These anxiety takes any of these forms.
1. It may be experienced as a feeling state characterized by an extreme fear without a cause.
2. It may be the physical reactions without the feeling, state, such as increased respiration
and heart palpitation.
3. It may be an overwhelming feeling of apprehension.

In spite of extreme anxiety, persons suffering from neurosis are not disorganized; the presence of
reality is not defective. The persons are rational and free from blocking, hallucinations, and
delusions. Except from those suffering from dissociative reactions, neurotics are free from
memory and orientation difficulties.

Origins

The word neurosis means "nerve disorder," and was first coined in the late eighteenth century by
William Cullen, a Scottish physician. Cullen's concept of neurosis encompassed those nervous
disorders and symptoms that do not have a clear organic cause. Sigmund Freud later used the
term anxiety neurosis to describe mental illness or distress with extreme anxiety as a defining
feature.

Categories

The neurotic disorders are distinct from psychotic disorders in that the individual with neurotic
symptoms has a firm grip on reality, and the psychotic patient does not. There are several major
traditional categories of psychological neuroses. These include:

 Anxiety neurosis. Mental illness defined by excessive anxiety and worry, sometimes
involving panic attacks and manifesting itself in physical symptoms such as tremor, chest
pain, sweating, and nausea.
  Depressive neurosis. A mental illness characterized by a profound feeling of sadness or
despair and a lack of interest in things that were once pleasurable.
 Obsessive-compulsive neurosis. The persistent and distressing recurrence of intrusive
thoughts or images (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions).
 Somatization (formerly called hysterical neurosis). The presence of real and significant
physical symptoms that cannot be explained by a medical condition, but are instead a
manifestation of anxiety or other mental distress.
 Post-traumatic stress disorder (also called war or combat neurosis). Severe stress and
functional disability caused by witnessing a traumatic event such as war combat or any
other event that involved death or serious injury.
 Compensation neurosis. Not a true neurosis, but a form of malingering, or feigning
psychological symptoms for monetary or other personal gain.
 Hysterical disorders
 Conversion disorders
 Dissociative disorders
 Phobic disorders
 Other disorders- Hypochondriasis, Neurasthenia, Depersonalization

The symptoms of neurosis

These are characterized by overt behavior, symptoms of anxiety, conversion-phobic, obsessive-
compulsive, or other reaction types, physiological anxiety reactions like sweating, shrinking, and
so on.
The neurotic personality
This refers to a constellation of personality traits and interpersonal difficulties. The characteristic
of neurotic personality are: tensed; fearful; tremulous; depressed; anxious; chronic fatigue; don’t
care attitude but weeps hen interviewed; hysterical; rigid super-ego; pretending no to be angry
but hurting others by his passive stubbornness, compounded hospitality and anger, and showing
ambivalence with others anting to be loved but cannot easily loved in return; withdraws from
people but tries to unload burdens on a stronger person and also on a hypersensitive one.

Causes

In 1996, a specific human gene and its corresponding alleles (two components of a gene which
are responsible for encoding the gene) were linked to neuroticism. The identified gene and its
allele pair help to control the amount of serotonin (a central nervous system neuro-
transmitter) released into the body through the production of a protein known as a transporter.
This transporter protein, which helps to carry the serotonin across the synaptic space (the gap
between nerve cells) to stimulate nerve cells, also assists the cell in reabsorbing the serotonin (a
process known as "reuptake").

Diagnosis

Patients with symptoms of mental illness should undergo a thorough physical examination and
detailed patient history to rule out organic causes (such as brain tumor or head injury).

Treatment

Neurosis should be treated by a counselor, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental

healthcare professional. Treatment for a neurotic disorder depends on the presenting symptoms
and the level of discomfort they are causing the patient. Modes of treatment are similar to that of
other mental disorders, and can include psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, creative
therapies (e.g., art or music therapy), psychoactive drugs, and relaxation exercises.
Reference:
Croft Harry, MD (2006). Abnormal Behavior
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis. June 10, 2017