Psychoneurotic

7/28/2019 Psychoneurotic

1/3

PSYCHONEUROTIC

History

The term neurosis was coined by the Scottish doctorWilliam Cullen in 1769 to refer to

"disorders of sense and motion" caused by a "general affection of the nervous system". For him,

it described various nervous disorders and symptoms that could not be explained physiologically.

It derives from the Greekword "" (neuron, "nerve") with the suffix -osis (diseased or

abnormal condition). The term was however most influentially defined by Carl

Jung and Sigmund Freud over a century later. It has continued to be used in contemporary

theoretical writing in psychology and philosophy. The American Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has eliminated the category of "neurosis", reflecting a

decision by the editors to provide descriptions of behavior as opposed to hidden psychological

mechanisms as diagnostic criteria,[3]

and, according to The American Heritage Medical

Dictionary, it is "no longer used in psychiatric diagnosis". Instead, the disorders once classified

as neuroses are now considered anxiety disorders.[5]

These changes to the DSM have beencontroversial.

[6]

Signs and symptoms

There are many forms of neurosis: obsessivecompulsive disorder, anxiety

neurosis, hysteria (in which anxiety may be discharged through a physical symptom), and a

nearly endless variety ofphobias as well as obsessions such as pyromania. According to C.

George Boeree, professor emeritus at Shippensburg University, effects of neurosis can involve:

...anxiety, sadness ordepression, anger, irritability, mental confusion, low sense of self-worth,

etc., behavioral symptoms such as phobic avoidance, vigilance, impulsive and compulsive acts,lethargy, etc., cognitive problems such as unpleasant or disturbing thoughts, repetition of

thoughts and obsession, habitual fantasizing, negativity and cynicism, etc. Interpersonally,

neurosis involves dependency, aggressiveness, perfectionism, schizoid isolation, socio-culturally

inappropriate behaviors, etc.

Cause

Psychoanalytical theory

As an illness, neurosis represents a variety of mental disorders in which emotional

distress orunconscious conflict is expressed through various physical, physiological, and mental

disturbances, which may include physical symptoms (e.g., hysteria). The definitive symptom

is anxieties. Neurotic tendencies are common and may manifest themselves as depression, acute

or chronic anxiety, obsessivecompulsive tendencies, specific phobias, such as social

phobia, arachnophobia or any number of other phobias, and some personality

disorders: paranoid, schizotypal, borderline, histrionic,avoidant, dependent and obsessive

compulsive. It has perhaps been most simply defined 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
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cullenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuronhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuronhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuronhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Junghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Junghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freudhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-Horwitz2007-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-Horwitz2007-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-Horwitz2007-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyromaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._George_Boereehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._George_Boereehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippensburg_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxietyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depressionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfectionism_(psychology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconscious_mindhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxietyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depressionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxietyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnophobiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizotypal_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borderline_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histrionic_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avoidant_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependent_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependent_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avoidant_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histrionic_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borderline_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizotypal_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnophobiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxietyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depressionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxietyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconscious_mindhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfectionism_(psychology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depressionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxietyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippensburg_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._George_Boereehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._George_Boereehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyromaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-Horwitz2007-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disordershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freudhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Junghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Junghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuronhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervous_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cullen


2/3

complex, more satisfying personality." Neurosis should not be mistaken forpsychosis, which

refers to loss of touch with reality, orneuroticism, a fundamental personality trait according

to psychological theory.

According to psychoanalytic theory, neuroses may be rooted in ego defense mechanisms,

but the two concepts are not synonymous. Defense mechanisms are a normal way of developingand maintaining a consistent sense of self (i.e., an ego), while only those thoughts and behavior

patterns that produce difficulties in living should be termed "neuroses".

Neurosis

Neurosis is a class offunctional mental disorders involving distressbut

neitherdelusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable

norms.[1]

It is also known as psychoneurosis orneurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from

it are said to be neurotic. The term essentially describes an "invisible injury" and the resulting

condition.

Mental and emotional disorder that affects only part of the personality, is accompanied by

a less distorted perception of reality than in a psychosis, and is characterized by various

physiological and mental disturbances (such as visceral symptoms and impaired concentration).

The neuroses include anxiety attacks, certain forms ofdepression, hypochondriasis, hysterical

reactions, obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, various sexual dysfunctions, and some tics.

They have traditionally been thought to be based on emotional conflict in which a blocked

impulse seeks expression in a disguised response or symptom. Behavioral psychologists regard

them as learned, inappropriate responses to stress, which can be unlearned.

psychoneurotic

1. A reference to a functional disorder of mental origin.

2. Anyone suffering from a psychoneurosis.

Emotional maladaptations resulting from unresolved mental conflicts

Psychoneurosis is the emotional maladaptation due to unresolved unconscious conflicts.

This leads to disturbances in thought, feelings, attitudes, and behavior. There is little, if any, lossof contact with reality, but the patient's effectiveness in performing his or her usual

responsibilities is handicapped.

Psychoneurosis is a major category in mental illness and is classified according to the

symptoms that predominate. The patient usually recognizes that the altered thoughts and feelings

are abnormal and indeed unwelcome. This is in contrast to the patient with a psychosis or

character disorder.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroticismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalytic_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_mechanismshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego_and_super-egohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_symptomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_(medicine)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufferinghttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/personalityhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/psychosishttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/anxietyhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/depressionhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/hypochondriasishttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/obsessive-compulsive+disorderhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/phobiahttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/sexual+dysfunctionhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/tichttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/conflicthttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/conflicthttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/tichttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/sexual+dysfunctionhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/phobiahttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/obsessive-compulsive+disorderhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/hypochondriasishttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/depressionhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/anxietyhttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/psychosishttp://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/personalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufferinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_(medicine)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_symptomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego_and_super-egohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_mechanismshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalytic_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroticismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis


3/3

Anxiety reaction psychoneurosis: anxiety with apprehension out of proportion to anyobvious external cause.

Conversion reaction psychoneurosis: psychoneurosis in which unacceptable unconsciousimpulses are converted into hysterical somatic symptoms. Although the symptoms have a

specific symbolic meaning to the patient, their interpretation is different in each individual.

Depressive reaction psychoneurosis: psychoneurosis marked by depression out of proportionto any obvious cause.

Dissociated reaction psychoneurosis: psychoneurosis characterized by dissociated behavior;such as, amnesia, fugue, sleepwalking, and dream states. It is important to differentiate this

from schizophrenia.

Obsessive-compulsive reaction psychoneurosis: psychoneurosis consisting of persistent,repetitive impulses to perform certain acts or rituals; such as, hand washing, touching

something, or counting.

Phobic reaction psychoneurosis: an irrational fear of any of a variety of situations, persons,or objects.

Documents

Psychoneurotic