neurosis
/njuə'rousis/
Definition
- Noun:
- A mental or emotional disorder characterized by anxiety, obsessive thoughts, compulsive acts, or physical symptoms without a demonstrable organic cause. It is a functional disorder, meaning it is not attributable to known neurological damage or disease.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- Her chronic anxiety and compulsive hand-washing were diagnosed as a form of neurosis.
- Freudian psychoanalysis often focused on treating neurosis by exploring unconscious conflicts.
Advanced Usage
- "Neurosis" vs. "Psychosis": In traditional psychiatry, a neurosis is a less severe disorder where the individual maintains contact with reality (e.g., anxiety disorders, phobias), whereas a psychosis involves a loss of contact with reality (e.g., schizophrenia).
- While his neurosis caused him great distress, he was still able to function in his daily life.
Variants and Related Words
- Neuroses (n): The plural form of neurosis.
- The study examined various neuroses prevalent in the 20th century.
- Neurotic (adj): Relating to, characterized by, or affected with neurosis.
- He displayed neurotic behavior, constantly worrying about minor details.
- Neurotic (n): A person affected with a neurosis.
- The therapist specialized in treating neurotics.
Synonyms
- Psychoneurosis: A more technical term often used interchangeably with neurosis.
- Anxiety disorder: A modern diagnostic category that encompasses many conditions historically called neuroses.
Related Phrases
- "Neurotic anxiety": Anxiety that arises from internal psychological conflicts rather than external danger, a key concept in psychoanalytic theory.
- Her fear of success was interpreted as a form of neurotic anxiety.
Noun
-
a mental or personality disturbance not attributable to any known neurological or organic dysfunction
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