Neurotic personality: characteristics, features and treatment


Neuroses are an integral feature of our time. After all, a modern person, living in comfort and having excellent command of technology, gradually becomes incapable of love. There are quite a lot of neurotic personalities among such people. The origin of neuroses is also quite sad. Their source is the traumatic treatment that a person had to experience in childhood, usually from his parents.

The neurotic personality itself can be compared to a sick athlete. After all, even if he is a strongman and a leader, but has atrophied limbs, he simply will not be able to achieve any success in his field. The same can happen to a person. And even if he has depth of mind and kindness, then his energy potential and will, suppressed by parental criticism, prohibitions and coercions, will not allow him to fully use his own capabilities.

In medicine, the term “neurosis” means pathology in the form of inhibition of personality development. It is caused by childhood psychological trauma. The neurotic personality is characterized by strange phobias and fears due to its illogical thinking. Such an individual, in most cases, is dependent on close people, is afraid of change and everything new, and has weak emotional and volitional activity.

Who is a neurotic

These are mature, developed individuals suffering from neuroses. They have subtle psychological deviations - they do not adapt well to reality and are more focused on their own emotional level than on rational decisions.

A characteristic feature is that they constantly experience doubts and, as a result, need support and consent from loved ones and colleagues. But often they try to make an effort to prove to themselves the possibility of leadership. So a neurotic is a person who can become a leader, but not because of his own convictions, but to prove his ability to lead a crowd and dominate others.

Another common emotional neurotic reaction is refusal of everyday household activities and communication. In essence, this is a chosen hermitage with contempt for all the benefits of civilization. This is due to the fact that this psychotype often does not recognize the rules established in society. But not all people who reject standards have a psychological deviation; sometimes this is a conscious choice.

Character traits:

  • Poor health and condition: at the same time, others do not experience discomfort when they are nearby, which cannot be said about psychopaths, who in the opposite situation have an influence on others.
  • Psycho-emotional instability. These are jumps in emotions and moods. But over time and growing up, such a person turns into stable pessimism. At the same time, it is rare and difficult for a neurotic to emerge from a negative state.
  • Lack of confidence in one’s own endeavors and capabilities.
  • Fears and mistrust - often stem from negative experiences with people or due to far-fetched experiences.
  • Self-flagellation or the opposite extreme - blaming others for any problems, lack of balance.
  • Egocentrism.

One is not born neurotic, one becomes one. Basically, the formation of such a personality, like any other, occurs from childhood, when the basic manners of behavior are laid down. Then each communication experience (in personal life or professional) can aggravate the condition. With age, especially when old age sets in, such people often lose control of themselves and go to extremes; it is very difficult to communicate with them. While in youth and adulthood they often mask their experiences and doubts, adapting to the norms and rules of society.

neurotic is

Severity and prevalence of the disorder

Neuroses include a fairly wide range of disorders. All of them are expressed in psychopathic reactions to a certain traumatic situation, which the patient cannot survive on his own.

Neurotic diseases do not cause serious mental disorders. All of them are reversible, but if a person does not seek help in a timely manner, they can have a long course.

Neuroses have a negative impact on the patient’s overall standard of living. They negatively affect his psychological and emotional mood, and also prevent him from building normal family relationships and climbing the career ladder.

It is not entirely clear how widespread neuroses are in modern society. The fact is that many people do not seek professional help. Some of them consider going to a psychologist a sign of weakness, while others attribute the problems that arise to their own, far from easy, character. There are also patients who do not want to be registered in state dispensaries, undergoing treatment in private clinics.

Based on recorded cases, this disorder currently affects 0.3% to 0.5% of the inhabitants of our planet.

Symptoms

Neuroticism is a personality trait, not a psychological illness, so it cannot be said to have symptoms in the medical sense. If these signs appear in a mild form, that is, accompanied by some internal discomfort and external calm, one cannot speak of a disease. It was just that a certain situation brought him out of his emotional balance.

But neurosis in severe form is already a reason to worry, since it is a disease that leads to both psychological and physical manifestations.

Even if you or your loved ones only have the first type of neuroticism, it is worth knowing the symptoms that may indicate a more serious stage:

  • Studying poorly at school and university.
  • It is difficult to start something new, or rather, to stop the old one. Changes are very frightening, therefore, with neuroticism, a person does not leave his unloved job or his significant other for a long time, even if he knows the need for this.
  • Problems in the intimate sphere: there is no trust between lovers, so it is difficult to open up and enjoy the process.
  • Feeling dizzy and experiencing pain in the temporal region.
  • A person is constantly looking for diseases - this is a concern for one’s own physical and psychological health, which is unfounded.
  • There are constant fears: that he will be late somewhere, that he will miss something or forget, that he will not turn off the kettle, iron, gas, or turn off the water.
  • Pressure surges.
  • Fatigue. Often after sleep, a neurotic does not feel well-rested.
  • Increased irritability to sounds (ticking clocks) and light - blinking indicator light on a monitor or TV.
  • The desire to be alone with yourself.
  • Many signs of self-doubt.
  • Inability to admit one's own guilt or mistakes.

Constant fear, like other symptoms, manifests itself to varying degrees in different people. It mainly depends on the strength of the individual. Strong people try to overcome fears and not show them. While the weak express them constantly. For this reason, neurotik often tries to attract attention, talks about his exaggerated troubles, fictitious diseases, and wants to be pitied. He doesn’t like to listen, but he himself is happy to talk about problems.

Daria Milai

Psychologist Daria Milai

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who is neurotic

Neurotic personality

Neurotic personality or character neurosis are psychoanalytic terms denoting a personality pathology that largely coincides with psychopathy. These are immature individuals who are characterized by at least three cardinal features: abnormal needs, complexes and psychological defenses. We would consider it worthwhile to describe them in the hope that this will lead to a better understanding of the experiences and behavior of patients with personality disorders, that is, psychopaths.

In our opinion, abnormal or neurotic needs are described most fully by K. Horney (1942). K. Horney presents such needs or tendencies as defensive strategies that are used by patients to overcome “basic anxiety” - a feeling of “loneliness and helplessness in the face of a potentially dangerous world.” These are initially normal, but have become “excessive” needs, which the neurotic personality uses inflexibly, choosing one in all social interactions. “If he needs love, he should get it from a friend, a doctor, an employer and a shoeshine boy,” explains K. Horney. These are the needs.

How to treat neuroses?
  • In love and approval there is an insatiable desire to be loved, an object of admiration and at the same time increased sensitivity to criticism, rejection, and manifestations of unfriendliness.
  • In the leading partner - excessive dependence on others and the belief that love can solve everything.
  • Clear restrictions include undemandingness, contentment with little, subordination to others.
  • In power there is a tendency to dominate and despise the “weak”.
  • In exploiting others, there is a fear of being used by others or of looking “dumb” in their eyes, but an unwillingness to do anything to outsmart them.
  • In public recognition - the desire to be an object of admiration, the dependence of self-esteem on social status.
  • In self-admiration, there is a desire to embellish the image of oneself, to present it as devoid of shortcomings and limitations.
  • Ambition is a strong desire to be the best, regardless of the consequences; creates fear of failure.
  • In self-sufficiency and independence - avoidance of any relationship that involves taking on obligations; distancing from everyone and everything.
  • In impeccability and irrefutability - the desire to be perfect and infallible in everything; maintaining an impression of perfection and virtue.
  • In descriptions of psychopathy there are references to many neurotic needs. It is curious, but K. Horney distinguishes only three types of neurotic character (compliant, detached and hostile), although, according to expectations, there could be more.

As for the complexes, their discovery is known to be associated with C. Jung. The complex, he believed, could behave as an independent personality, with its own mental life and movement, controlling a person and using his psyche for its own purposes. L.N. Tolstoy, thought K. Jung, was dominated by the idea of ​​forgiveness, and Napoleon was dominated by the thirst for power. When identifying and measuring the strength of a complex, three methods can be used, according to C. Jung: direct observation (plus analytical deduction, for example, dream analysis), detection of indicators of the complex (for example, slips of the tongue) and measurement of the intensity of emotional expression (for example, pulse rate). Here is a short description of the most frequently mentioned complexes:

  • The Antigone complex (named after the daughter of Oedipus, who voluntarily went into exile with her father) is manifested by the daughter’s unconscious sexual attraction to her father. It is believed to be the basis of some neuroses and perversions.
  • The Griselda complex (named after the heroine of D. Boccaccio’s “The Decameron”, who became a model of female virtue) is the incestuous attraction of a father to his daughter, the desire to keep her for himself, refusing all suitors for her hand.
  • The grandfather complex is a man’s desire to become his grandfather, in order to become superior to his father, to gain power over him. Believed to be associated with incestuous desires and gerontophilia.
  • The Diana complex (named after the goddess who had masculine interests and was indifferent to the opposite sex) is a reluctance to be a woman, supposedly due to envy of boys’ penises. Considered as the cause of some perversions and neurotic states.
  • The Jocasta complex (named after the mother who fell in love with her son, Oedipus) is the incestuous attraction of a mother to her son.
  • The Cain complex (named after the biblical Cain, who killed his younger brother, Abel, out of envy) is the hatred of a child deprived of the love of his parents for his sibling(s), caressed by tenderness.
  • The castration complex is the fantasy of children when a boy is afraid of losing his penis (his father castrates him out of jealousy), and a girl dreams of getting it.
  • The Medea complex (named after the mythical princess who killed her children out of jealousy for her husband, Jason, and poisoned her rival) is the desire of a mother to kill her children in order to take revenge on her husband.
  • An inferiority complex is an avoidance of difficulties in order to rid oneself of the awareness of one’s inadequacy.
  • A superiority complex is an avoidance of supposedly “insignificant” difficulties, coupled with demonstrating one’s superiority in something else. It is also referred to as overcompensation.
  • The Orestes complex (named after the mythical hero who took revenge on his mother for the murder of his father) is an unconscious desire to kill his mother.
  • The Phaedra complex (named after the mythical queen who experienced a love passion for her stepson) is an incestuous attraction of a mother to her adopted or step-son.
  • The Oedipus complex (named after the mythical hero who killed his father and married his mother) is the incestuous attraction of a son to his mother and jealousy and hatred of his father.
  • The Electra complex (named after the mythical heroine who took revenge on her mother for her murder of her father) is a daughter’s hatred of her mother and sexual attraction to her father.

According to C. Jung, any emotionally significant idea or any desire can become a complex if they are suppressed or repressed from consciousness. The number of complexes, therefore, is far from limited to those mentioned here. The idea of ​​complexes captures a number of behavioral deviations, the causes of which remain unknown. However, it is purely hypothetical. The number of complexes can be increased to a degree that discredits the very idea of ​​their existence.

Finally, a neurotic personality is characterized by various forms of psychological defense - mental actions aimed at eliminating anxiety and feelings of danger. Psychological defenses are formed and function unconsciously. For a neurotic personality, they are ways of self-deception about oneself and real external situations. Here is a short description of the main defensive strategies.

1. Repression (motivated forgetting) - removal of traumatic ideas from consciousness. Usually persistent, beyond the control of conscious effort. Repressed material can reveal itself in different ways: dreams, slips of the tongue, involuntary actions, witticisms, somatic symptoms, childhood fears of adults, as well as symbolization, i.e. displacement to other objects: for example, a feeling of hostility towards the father is manifested by hostility towards other manifestations of authoritarianism.

2. Projection - attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, intentions and actions to other people. In projection, the person says, “She hates me,” instead of “I hate her.” The projection is carried out in three stages. At the first stage, one denies oneself an unacceptable quality. On the second - externalization, i.e. transferring this quality to another person. At the third stage, conversion occurs, i.e., recognition of this quality in another person directed towards oneself. Thus, according to Freud, paranoid arises, which, as he believed, is a consequence of the projection of homosexual desire.

3. Substitution - the transfer of an instinctive feeling or impulse, such as hostility, to another, less threatening object. Substitution is used to explain, for example, child abuse.

4. Rationalization - self-justification through an explanation that distorts real relationships, for example, an individual interprets hostility that has objective grounds as follows: “They judge me because of their stupidity.”

5. Countering or forming a reaction - replacing an unacceptable impulse or feeling with its opposite. Hatred towards a child is expressed, for example, by emphasized love. Reactive formations of this kind differ from natural feelings and actions in their extravagance and convulsiveness, that is, unnaturalness and forced nature, so that even if the patient wants to, he cannot free himself from it. Sometimes such formations actually satisfy the initial impulse: thus, the mother “smothers” the child with her “love.”

6. Regression - a return to an earlier and past stage of development: for example, a young wife, unable to establish a mature relationship with her husband, returns to the familiar conditions of her parental family, and a disabled person who has lost his job resumes drinking alcohol. Retrogression is the return of previously observed patterns of behavior. So, a child who is frightened at school begins to suck his thumb again, as he did in kindergarten.

7. Fixation - stopping at one of the early stages of development. Thus, fearing independent life, the individual remains overdependent and, without getting married, does not leave the parental family, preferring to remain an adult child.

8. Sublimation - the translation of unacceptable or aggressive impulses into a socially approved direction, for example, masturbation is sublimated into sports, and aggressiveness into the work of an investigator, prosecutor, or surgeon.

9. Denial of reality - refusal to accept something that causes suffering: for example, an individual cannot accept the death of a loved one and continues to believe that he is still alive, waiting for his return or trying to dig up a grave; or the individual cannot believe that he has fallen out of love, and continues to live according to plans for the joint intimacy of the relationship.

10. Isolation - neutralization of the affect associated with the traumatic event. The individual tries not to think about what happened and what will follow.

11. Suppression (destruction of what has been done) - neutralization of the affect associated with one’s own unworthy act or impulse. The individual tries to forget about what happened, switching his attention to something else.

12. Introjection is the replacement of an external object with an idea of ​​it. For example, some of their advice or warnings may become introjects from parents. An individual may follow such precepts, although they have not taken root in him and have not become a natural part of his Self.

13. Turning against oneself - turning unacceptable impulses addressed to others towards oneself. So, according to Freud, aggression against someone is directed towards oneself in an act of suicide.

14. Identification is the process by which an individual a) extends his identity to someone else; b) borrows his identity from someone; c) confuses or confuses his own identity with the identity of another. This term in psychoanalysis never implies the establishment of authenticity, one's own or someone else's. Primary identification is the state of an infant who is not yet able to distinguish between “I” and “you.”

Secondary identification is the process of identifying with an object whose separate identity has already been established. Children imitate their parents and, as it were, borrow their identity from them. This is a defense; it allows children to deny the experience of separation from their parents; considered part of normal development. Projective identification is a process when an individual imagines that he is inside a certain object. In this case, the illusion of control over the object arises and the opportunity to receive substitute satisfaction appears. In voyeurism, for example, the patient imagines himself inside a real sexual partner, as if he controls him and receives pleasure. With introjective identification, a process occurs that makes it possible to imagine another within oneself and as a part of oneself. In this case, the individual speaks or does something as if on behalf of another person, without identifying himself with him. This is exactly how, for example, an actor acts in some role or an individual who imagines himself in the role of another person.

15. Intellectualization - analysis of a personal problem in detached intellectual terms, allowing you to ignore your own emotions and feelings. Thus, the experience of guilt is replaced by reflections on the nature of this feeling, its role in human life, the origin and meaning of conscience.

16. Transfer or transfer - a shift in feelings and attitudes from emotionally significant persons to someone else, for example, to a psychotherapist. With a positive transference, the displacement concerns positive feelings and attitudes; with a negative transference, it concerns negative feelings (resentment, accusations, etc.). Countertransference is a psychotherapist’s displacement of his feelings and attitudes onto the patient. The latter can cause antipathy, dissatisfaction or, on the contrary, respect, trust, affection, although this has nothing to do with his personal qualities.

17. Splitting is the division of an integral structure into two independent objects: positive and negative. The perception of oneself and others becomes polar: sometimes extremely positive, idealized, sometimes sharply negative, derogatory, tragic. Thus, during the period of falling in love, an individual sees in a partner an almost divine being, and after cooling off towards him - on the contrary, just an ordinary person who annoys everyone. The inability to see the traumatic beginning in conflict or stress for some time helps the patient to maintain calm and self-control, which then leads to a delayed reaction to mental trauma. The combination of polar reactions inevitably entails duality of attitude, ambivalence.

18. Unrealistic optimism, or the Polyanna mechanism , is the tendency of a narcissistic individual to believe that the likelihood of something bad happening to other people is much higher than to himself. It is others who may get cancer, become drug addicts or be attacked, they have some reason for this, but “with me, I’m sure everything will be fine, I’m different, I’m able to prevent troubles or cope with them.”

19. Belief in a just world - the belief that the world is fair and distributes hardships in a non-random way, only among those people who deserve them. And “there’s nothing to punish me for, I deserve only good things.” The other side of such a belief is the accusation of those who have an unlucky lot. For example, “the poor are to blame for this themselves, they can only blame themselves.” Violence is justified by the fact that people “deserve” it, because they are “inferior, dishonest, cruel,” etc. In a society where the majority believes in such justice, social and economic inequality usually reigns and is justified.

20. Stupidity is an unconscious refusal to suppress one’s intense mental activity, based on the dominance of stereotypes such as: “woe from the mind”, “much wisdom - a lot of sorrow”, “a fool is not in demand”, “smart people are not rich”, etc. Cognitive passivity ultimately leads to states close to mental retardation, when people are limited to superficial knowledge and banal judgments. This is exactly what P.B. Gannushkin had in mind when describing “constitutionally stupid” psychopaths.

Essentially speaking, psychological defenses are only a translation of certain behavior patterns into the language of psychological terms. These are often varying statements of long-standing and generally known facts, but not at all their explanation, as many believe. Labeling a phenomenon or constructing its verbal model does not mean getting closer to understanding its essence. The magic of words can create nothing more than the illusion of understanding, although this is sometimes of considerable value.

As an illustration of “character neurosis,” let us return to the conformist personality, with which everyday ideas about “adaptability,” “unscrupulousness,” etc. are firmly associated. Conformity as a personality property is understood as the individual’s tendency to “go along with everyone else” and change his attitudes and beliefs influenced by other people. The main feature of a conformist personality is its focus on the principle of social proof. It is not facts and logical conclusions, but the opinions and actions of others that play a significant and sometimes decisive role in her behavior. The influence of the group (normative social pressure) and the influence of authority, as well as what symbolizes them, become of primary importance.

For example, this could be clothing, appearance, expensive prestigious things, jewelry, sociological survey data, skillful rhetoric, position in society, popularity, honorary titles, titles, etc. The role of advertising should be emphasized. The technology of modern advertising is based on the observations of Aristotle: “verbal persuasion is of three types. The first type depends on the personality of the speaker; the second is to create a certain mood in the audience; the third proof or visible proof is contained in the words of the speech itself.” Many victims of advertising tend to believe that it affects other people, but not themselves. The influence of advertising on a conformist personality is so great that the expression arose: “The ideals of a nation can be judged by its advertising.”

A neurotic personality is in many ways the opposite of a mature, healthy personality. In relation to the latter, many concepts of psychology, such as dependence, defenses, complexes, etc., are unacceptable. A number of authors point out the danger of extrapolating conclusions drawn from the study of neurotic personalities, and especially sick people, to a normal person.

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Character traits

I compiled a psychological portrait of a neurotic, and also gave several examples. Of course, any similarities with real persons are purely coincidental.

A neurasthenic person with a progressive disorder depends on what the people around him say. He is not stable - his mood can fluctuate for no apparent reason. He is more likely to notice bad events, so he often gets caught up in depressive thoughts. At such moments he does not always want to communicate or begins to tell how he suffers due to a lot of diseases and problems in life. In addition, it is different:

  • uncertainty;
  • attacks of fear;
  • suspiciousness;
  • mistrust.

They are very afraid of making mistakes, so they project possible failures in advance, blaming themselves and others for them. In personal relationships, he is very difficult because he does not accept criticism and considers every quarrel to be a manifestation of betrayal. From a neurotic lover, you can expect fits of rage, as well as causeless jealousy. You are also able to encounter pronounced egocentrism, that is, the need for constant communication and being together, even if the other member of the relationship wants to be alone.

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I will give examples of who neurotics are and show the characteristic features of a neurotic personality:

  • A very attractive girl constantly finds flaws in herself and believes that any manifestations of interest shown are insincere ridicule or manipulation in order to gain benefit or take advantage of a weakness.
  • An adult man with experience working in one place is constantly in fear that today he will make a mistake, break the machine, or get hurt. Despite extensive experience and a lot of commendable certificates.
  • An office clerk who hates his job. He is afraid to quit because he believes that he will not find a better place. Constant dissatisfaction manifests itself in passive aggression.

signs of a neurotic

Causes of pathology

Neurotic personality disorder occurs due to some stressful situation that cannot be changed or overcome on one’s own. There are numerous factors contributing to the development of this pathology. This is an extensive list that can begin with failure and failure in a professional career and end with a difficult and painful break in family relationships. In some situations, the disorder manifests itself almost immediately and is pronounced. In others, it arises due to the daily accumulation of stressful stimuli, when a person’s internal tension gradually increases and this is sometimes not even noticeable to others. But then some time passes, and a seemingly self-sufficient and prosperous person reveals himself as a neurotic person.

the woman thought

Psychoanalysts believe that the cause of neurosis in any case is a deep psychological conflict. Its occurrence is facilitated by the lack of opportunity to satisfy vital needs or the presence of a clear threat to peace of mind, as well as the future of the patient.

Quite deep and extensive research in this area was carried out by the American psychologist Karen Horney. A neurotic personality, in her opinion, is generated by the body’s reaction to the emerging contradiction between defense mechanisms designed to protect a person from continuous control, neglect, aggression, as well as other influences that violate his natural rights.

Types

It is interesting that, depending on temperament, characteristics of upbringing and external environment, as well as on the inner strength of the individual, everyone finds their own way to deal with anxious moods.

What does subordinate neurotic mean?

This is a person who needs the patronage and protection of a stronger person - a parent, friend, spouse. Usually she is inclined to search for someone close in spirit, but at the same time she believes that the chosen “patron” is morally stronger. Usually this is a soft personality who strives to communicate, loves to share experiences, and is self-centered.

Aggressive

He does not want to interact with people, he is used to either fighting with them or leading them. Therefore, this type often produces a leader who goes forward, does not see his own mistakes, has a complex character, and is not used to losing. But a neurotic cannot achieve success and calmly rest on his laurels - he will be afraid until the very end, he may be haunted by various fears - for the company, for life, for wealth, for safety.

This is usually achieved by setting bans on emotions, on everything except aggression. The latter can manifest itself not only when achieving goals, but also in personal relationships. External calm is always feigned; there is always a risk of breakdown.

Separated

Tries to withdraw into his own world and does not strive to maintain contact. Prefers remote work or maximum distance from management, does not have contact with customers and clients. It formalizes all relationships, even personal and family, subordinating everything to labels - you need to kiss your daughter before bed, you need to congratulate your mother by calling, it is customary to send a bouquet of flowers to your wife on her birthday - if such a relationship has been created. Typically, marriage is not the destiny of isolated, neurotic people; they prefer to remain alone.

It is interesting that as soon as a person achieves independence, he simply does not know what to do with it in the future. A person is left with himself and his problems. When he has talent, he can successfully develop it, but not show it to everyone.

How can you recognize this type of people?

We have already listed the symptoms and characteristics. To find them in yourself, you should understand the reason for frequent mood swings and self-doubt, and admit your fears. Visit my consultation and I will help you understand yourself, find internal tensions and solve them.

It is much easier to see the signs in your colleague, girlfriend, or spouse. Analyze the behavior, notice that there is no middle ground between the two extremes to which a person constantly falls.

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neurotic symptoms

Neurosis in children

Neurotic habits are cultivated by parents and educators in childhood. Many agreed that the majority of psychological problems arise in childhood. How? Here's an example:

A two-year-old runs through puddles with an absolutely satisfied face. Instead of explaining that the shoes will get wet, and then the feet will become wet and cold, which is why the baby can freeze and get sick, the mother simply says in a dissatisfied voice, “Well, what are you doing.” Thus, the child does not develop cause-and-effect relationships, but only becomes aware that he is wrong. With age, he will only cultivate these traits in himself. Analyze the favorite phrases of mothers and educators: “How are you dressed!”, “What are you saying.” And if “training” is accompanied by physical punishment or loud screaming, then constant fear is added to dissatisfaction with oneself and uncertainty.

Therefore, let’s say this: the neurotic type is not a congenital “diagnosis”, but an acquired one. It does not appear at one, two, or three years, but sometimes has its first manifestations at 5-6 years. Why it is so important to behave correctly with children, I will tell you below using examples of what can happen to him in adulthood.

Who is most often affected by the disease?

People who have encountered special situations in their lives, as well as those who have certain character traits, are predisposed to the development of neurosis. What is different about a person who is at risk for developing such a disorder? It has:

  • excessive impressionability and sensitivity;
  • unstable emotional state;
  • developed imagination and rich imaginative thinking;
  • psychological rigidity, that is, insufficient understanding of one’s own emotions;
  • too deep a feeling of worry due to any life changes.

A predisposition to the emergence of a neurotic personality arises in childhood. Directly or indirectly, a child can be influenced by a lack of attention from parents, their neglect of their child, rejection of the child’s desires and needs, or, on the contrary, excessive care and perception of their son or daughter as an idol.

Another predisposition factor to the emergence of a neurotic personality is the biological characteristics of a person. Thus, the patient is at risk in cases where the level of neurotransmitters in his brain is on the border with an anomaly. Neurotic personality development begins to occur when an impetus appears in the form of stress or some kind of internal conflict. At the same time, a process begins to develop that disrupts the integration of the brain, which leads to the progression of the patient’s neurotic state.

Problems at work

The most common include:

  • They do not change profession or company, even if they experience constant dissatisfaction with the place.
  • Fear of being fired.
  • They are afraid of making a mistake.
  • Suspiciousness can lead to the point that he thinks about a conspiracy of his colleagues against him - around intrigue, gossip, prying.
  • It is difficult to achieve professional success because of the fear of taking a new step.

In rare cases, neuroticism results in leadership, but a leadership position does not bring positive emotions or pride, but only the fear of losing it and the desire to do more.

neurotic is in psychology

Treatment of a neurotic

I recommend:

  • Increase your self-esteem.
  • Find your favorite activity.
  • Reconsider your environment.
  • Communicate more.
  • Interact with nature more often.

I will describe some points.

Look at the people

There are a lot of personalities around. Some are more successful, others less. Mentally find their weaknesses, understand that they also have fears. They are no better than you.

Communicate

Don't isolate yourself. You are an interesting person with your own hobbies and interests. But don’t forget to be interested in the life of your interlocutor.

Be more in nature

Find a pleasant hobby - run in the morning, go to the pond on weekends, have picnics, or ski in the forest in winter. Constant communication with animals will also have a positive effect. If not equestrian sport, then a pet. By the way, having a dog will force you to communicate with dog lovers in a relaxed atmosphere and go outside at least 2 times a day.

who are neurotics characteristic features

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