Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are Neuroses?Types of Neurotic BehaviorsPrevalenceNeurosis and Mental HealthNeurosis as Personality TraitComplicationsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Are Neuroses?
Types of Neurotic Behaviors
Prevalence
Neurosis and Mental Health
Neurosis as Personality Trait
Complications
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Neurosis (plural:neuroses) is a non-clinical term describing a spectrum of mental disorders that cause significant anxiety or distressing emotional symptoms. These include irrational fears, obsessive thoughts, compulsive acts, ordissociation(disconnection from yourself or the world around you).
Neurosis is not a clinical diagnosis and is no longer included in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5). It is largely viewed as an exaggerated, unconscious response to internal conflicts and the anxiety they cause. Most of the disorders that used to be called “neuroses” are now regarded asanxiety disorders, which are included in the DSM-5.
This article describes where the term “neurosis” came from and what it means today. It also explains how neurosis differs from anxiety disorders and psychosis, and how the condition may be treated.
In the first edition of theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-1) issued in 1952, the condition was referred to as “psychoneurosis” in which a person might experience anxiety, dissociation,phobia, obsessive or compulsive behaviors, and reactive depression.
By the release of the DSM-3 in 1980, the term was abandoned, and a new term, “anxiety disorders,” was used to house many of these mental disorders.
Today, neurosis is no longer considered a clinical diagnosis.
Examples of neurotic behaviors include:
While research in this area is lacking, one study in Xi’an, China reported that the estimated lifetime prevalence (the total number of people in a population who have a disease over a lifetime) of 10.8% for any neurotic disorder. Specific phobias (5.7%), obsessive-compulsive disorders (3.8%), and social phobias (1.3%) were among the most prevalent subtypes.
As such, being called “neurotic” and having neurosis can mean entirely different things. If your neurotic behaviors are undermining your well-being and quality of life, you may have an anxiety disorder that would benefit from treatment.
Anxiety
Neurosis broadly refers to a spectrum of mental disorders, most of which fall under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. The distinction is important because there are specific guidelines for the treatment of anxiety disorders, but not for neurosis.
While anxiety is a normal reaction to everyday stress, an anxiety disorder involves excessive fear or anxiety that a person cannot control.
Examples of anxiety disorders include:
Psychosis
In the same way that there is a difference between having a neurosis and “being neurotic,” there is a difference between havingpsychosisand “being psychotic.” One term infers a mental disorder, while the other is used in everyday language to describe unusual behaviors.
Neurosis and psychosis differ in severely different ways. Chief among these is the fact that neurosis is an unofficial term, while psychosis is an official term included in the DSM-5.
In the DSM-5, psychosis occurs when a person cannot tell what is real and what is not, often manifesting withhallucinationsanddelusions. Psychosis can occur with many mental illnesses such asschizophrenia,bipolar disorder, andsevere depressionas well as with sleep deprivation, major trauma, and drugs such as alcohol, hallucinogens, and stimulants.
By contrast, a person with neurosis knows what is real even though they may have the inability to control their behavior.
The terms “neurosis” and “neuroticism” are sometimes used synonymously, but there are subtle differences in their definitions.
Neuroticism describes the state of being prone to neuroses. As such, it is regarded as a personality trait, while neurosis infers the presence of a mental disorder.
In psychology theory, neuroticism is classified as one of the Big Five personality traits alongside conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and openness. The theory, first established during the 1980s, suggests that all personalities are comprised of the absence or presence of these five traits.
Neuroticism can manifest with the following personality traits:
Even though these behaviors are characteristic of neuroticism, they don’t necessarily mean that someone has neurosis or an anxiety disorder.
Verywell / Dennis Madamba
Left untreated, neurosis can grow into bigger health concerns for you and your relationships. This is because being neurotic takes a toll on your mental health and ability to function in everyday life.
Physical complications over time may include:
Neurosis can also lead to other health complications, including:
Researchers have identified factors that are believed to contribute to neuroticism. They may do so on their own or work in tandem to undermine a person’s emotional stability.
Genetics
Having a family history of neuroticism increases your risk of the same. Family and twins studies suggest that neuroticism as a personality trait is linked to specific genetic variations in 48% of cases. Many of these genetic variations are also seen in people with anxiety disorders and specific phobias.
Environment
Within these nonshared environments, an individual might experience interpersonal stress, conflict, or major events that are typically undesirable, unpredictable, or occur earlier in life than expected (such as becoming a teenage mother).
Neuroticism is thought to be linked to experiences that suddenly and unexpectedly disrupt a person’s sense of identity and status. Examples include changes in relationship status (marriage vs. divorce) or work status (promotion vs. job loss).
If neurotic behavior is becoming a problem, talk to your healthcare provider. The provider will likely conduct a physical exam and lab work to determine if the cause of your symptoms is physical.
In the absence of a physical cause, you may be referred to a mental health professional to determine if you have a mental health disorder. This is one in which behaviors are causing you severe distress and relationship issues.
If your neurosis stems from an underlying mental health disorder, one or several treatments may be prescribed.
Medications
A physician or psychiatrist can prescribe medications when needed to reduce symptoms of neuroticism, associated with disorders like anxiety disorders or depression. These include:
Psychotherapy
Various forms of talk therapy, includingcognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help address negative thought patterns and help a person change those behaviors to better cope with stress. CBT can also help you identify neurotic behaviors and how those behaviors are contributing to other problems at home or work.
Lifestyle Changes
Coping with your own neurotic behaviors can be tiring. Practicing self-awareness and recognizing what can trigger those behaviors are essential to managing neuroticism.
10 Breathing Exercises for Anxiety Relief
Summary
Neurosis is a historical, non-clinical term that describes certain mental disorders that cause persistent anxiety or emotional distress symptoms, including compulsive acts, obsessive thoughts, irrational fears, and dissociation. Most of these mental disorders are today classified as anxiety disorders, which can be diagnosed and treated.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Neurosis. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.Crocq MA.A history of anxiety: from Hippocrates to DSM.Dialogues Clin Neurosci.2015 Sep;17(3):319–325. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/macrocqU.S. Army.DSM-1.Surís A, Holliday R, North CS.The evolution of the classification of psychiatric disorders.Behav Sci (Basel). 6(1):5. doi:10.3390/bs6010005Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411Ni C, Ma L, Wang B, Hua Y, Hua Q, Wallen GR, Gao B, Yan Y, Huang Y.Screening and correlates of neurotic disorders among general medical outpatients in Xi’an China.Perspect Psychiatr Care. 51(2):128-135. doi:10.1111/ppc.12074American Psychiatric Association.What are anxiety disorders?American Psychological Association.Neuroticism. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.Power RA, Pluess M.Heritability estimates of the Big Five personality traits based on common genetic variants.Translation Psychiatry. 2015;5:e604. doi:10.1038/tp.2015.96Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry.2017 Jun;6(2):144–145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411Ozer DJ, Benet-Martínez V.Personality and the prediction of consequential outcomes.Annu Rev Psychol. 57:401-21. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190127Vachhrajani M, Mishra SK, Rai H, Paliwal A.The direct and indirect effect of neuroticism on work engagement of nurses during COVID-19: a temporal analysis.Front Psychol.2022;13:947887. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.947887Hill WD, Weiss A, Liewald DC, et al.Genetic contributions to two special factors of neuroticism are associated with affluence, higher intelligence, better health, and longer life.Mol Psychiatry.2020;25:3034–3052. doi:10.1038/s41380-019-0387-3Jeronimus BF, Riese H, Ormel J.Environmental influences on neuroticism in adulthood: a systematic review. In:Environmental Influences on Neuroticism: A Story About Emotional (In)stability. Groningen, Netherlands: Ridderprint BV; 2018. doi:10.31219/osf.io/73rzaKonopka A, Mak M, Grzywacz A, Murawiec S, Samaochowiec J.Genetic and psychosocial factors for benzodiazepine addiction. An analysis based on the results of the authors' own research conducted in a group of benzodiazepine addicted and non-addicted individuals.Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online).2017 Mar 13;71(0):205-213. doi:10.5604/01.3001.0010.3805Naito M, Kato M, Koshikawa Y, et al.Personality as a basis for antidepressant selection for patients with depression: A two-point outcome study at 4 and 8 weeks.J Affect Disord.2022 Oct 1:314:27-33. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.001Armstrong L, Rimes KA.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for neuroticism (stress vulnerability): a pilot randomized study.Behav Ther. 2016 May;47(3):287-98. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2015.12.005
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Neurosis. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.Crocq MA.A history of anxiety: from Hippocrates to DSM.Dialogues Clin Neurosci.2015 Sep;17(3):319–325. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/macrocqU.S. Army.DSM-1.Surís A, Holliday R, North CS.The evolution of the classification of psychiatric disorders.Behav Sci (Basel). 6(1):5. doi:10.3390/bs6010005Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411Ni C, Ma L, Wang B, Hua Y, Hua Q, Wallen GR, Gao B, Yan Y, Huang Y.Screening and correlates of neurotic disorders among general medical outpatients in Xi’an China.Perspect Psychiatr Care. 51(2):128-135. doi:10.1111/ppc.12074American Psychiatric Association.What are anxiety disorders?American Psychological Association.Neuroticism. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.Power RA, Pluess M.Heritability estimates of the Big Five personality traits based on common genetic variants.Translation Psychiatry. 2015;5:e604. doi:10.1038/tp.2015.96Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry.2017 Jun;6(2):144–145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411Ozer DJ, Benet-Martínez V.Personality and the prediction of consequential outcomes.Annu Rev Psychol. 57:401-21. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190127Vachhrajani M, Mishra SK, Rai H, Paliwal A.The direct and indirect effect of neuroticism on work engagement of nurses during COVID-19: a temporal analysis.Front Psychol.2022;13:947887. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.947887Hill WD, Weiss A, Liewald DC, et al.Genetic contributions to two special factors of neuroticism are associated with affluence, higher intelligence, better health, and longer life.Mol Psychiatry.2020;25:3034–3052. doi:10.1038/s41380-019-0387-3Jeronimus BF, Riese H, Ormel J.Environmental influences on neuroticism in adulthood: a systematic review. In:Environmental Influences on Neuroticism: A Story About Emotional (In)stability. Groningen, Netherlands: Ridderprint BV; 2018. doi:10.31219/osf.io/73rzaKonopka A, Mak M, Grzywacz A, Murawiec S, Samaochowiec J.Genetic and psychosocial factors for benzodiazepine addiction. An analysis based on the results of the authors' own research conducted in a group of benzodiazepine addicted and non-addicted individuals.Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online).2017 Mar 13;71(0):205-213. doi:10.5604/01.3001.0010.3805Naito M, Kato M, Koshikawa Y, et al.Personality as a basis for antidepressant selection for patients with depression: A two-point outcome study at 4 and 8 weeks.J Affect Disord.2022 Oct 1:314:27-33. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.001Armstrong L, Rimes KA.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for neuroticism (stress vulnerability): a pilot randomized study.Behav Ther. 2016 May;47(3):287-98. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2015.12.005
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Psychological Association.Neurosis. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.Crocq MA.A history of anxiety: from Hippocrates to DSM.Dialogues Clin Neurosci.2015 Sep;17(3):319–325. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/macrocqU.S. Army.DSM-1.Surís A, Holliday R, North CS.The evolution of the classification of psychiatric disorders.Behav Sci (Basel). 6(1):5. doi:10.3390/bs6010005Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411Ni C, Ma L, Wang B, Hua Y, Hua Q, Wallen GR, Gao B, Yan Y, Huang Y.Screening and correlates of neurotic disorders among general medical outpatients in Xi’an China.Perspect Psychiatr Care. 51(2):128-135. doi:10.1111/ppc.12074American Psychiatric Association.What are anxiety disorders?American Psychological Association.Neuroticism. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.Power RA, Pluess M.Heritability estimates of the Big Five personality traits based on common genetic variants.Translation Psychiatry. 2015;5:e604. doi:10.1038/tp.2015.96Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry.2017 Jun;6(2):144–145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411Ozer DJ, Benet-Martínez V.Personality and the prediction of consequential outcomes.Annu Rev Psychol. 57:401-21. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190127Vachhrajani M, Mishra SK, Rai H, Paliwal A.The direct and indirect effect of neuroticism on work engagement of nurses during COVID-19: a temporal analysis.Front Psychol.2022;13:947887. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.947887Hill WD, Weiss A, Liewald DC, et al.Genetic contributions to two special factors of neuroticism are associated with affluence, higher intelligence, better health, and longer life.Mol Psychiatry.2020;25:3034–3052. doi:10.1038/s41380-019-0387-3Jeronimus BF, Riese H, Ormel J.Environmental influences on neuroticism in adulthood: a systematic review. In:Environmental Influences on Neuroticism: A Story About Emotional (In)stability. Groningen, Netherlands: Ridderprint BV; 2018. doi:10.31219/osf.io/73rzaKonopka A, Mak M, Grzywacz A, Murawiec S, Samaochowiec J.Genetic and psychosocial factors for benzodiazepine addiction. An analysis based on the results of the authors' own research conducted in a group of benzodiazepine addicted and non-addicted individuals.Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online).2017 Mar 13;71(0):205-213. doi:10.5604/01.3001.0010.3805Naito M, Kato M, Koshikawa Y, et al.Personality as a basis for antidepressant selection for patients with depression: A two-point outcome study at 4 and 8 weeks.J Affect Disord.2022 Oct 1:314:27-33. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.001Armstrong L, Rimes KA.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for neuroticism (stress vulnerability): a pilot randomized study.Behav Ther. 2016 May;47(3):287-98. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2015.12.005
American Psychological Association.Neurosis. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.
Crocq MA.A history of anxiety: from Hippocrates to DSM.Dialogues Clin Neurosci.2015 Sep;17(3):319–325. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/macrocq
U.S. Army.DSM-1.
Surís A, Holliday R, North CS.The evolution of the classification of psychiatric disorders.Behav Sci (Basel). 6(1):5. doi:10.3390/bs6010005
Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry. 2017;16(2):144-145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411
Ni C, Ma L, Wang B, Hua Y, Hua Q, Wallen GR, Gao B, Yan Y, Huang Y.Screening and correlates of neurotic disorders among general medical outpatients in Xi’an China.Perspect Psychiatr Care. 51(2):128-135. doi:10.1111/ppc.12074
American Psychiatric Association.What are anxiety disorders?
American Psychological Association.Neuroticism. In:APA Dictionary of Psychology.
Power RA, Pluess M.Heritability estimates of the Big Five personality traits based on common genetic variants.Translation Psychiatry. 2015;5:e604. doi:10.1038/tp.2015.96
Widiger TA, Oltmanns JR.Neuroticism is a fundamental domain of personality with enormous public health implications.World Psychiatry.2017 Jun;6(2):144–145. doi:10.1002/wps.20411
Ozer DJ, Benet-Martínez V.Personality and the prediction of consequential outcomes.Annu Rev Psychol. 57:401-21. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190127
Vachhrajani M, Mishra SK, Rai H, Paliwal A.The direct and indirect effect of neuroticism on work engagement of nurses during COVID-19: a temporal analysis.Front Psychol.2022;13:947887. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.947887
Hill WD, Weiss A, Liewald DC, et al.Genetic contributions to two special factors of neuroticism are associated with affluence, higher intelligence, better health, and longer life.Mol Psychiatry.2020;25:3034–3052. doi:10.1038/s41380-019-0387-3
Jeronimus BF, Riese H, Ormel J.Environmental influences on neuroticism in adulthood: a systematic review. In:Environmental Influences on Neuroticism: A Story About Emotional (In)stability. Groningen, Netherlands: Ridderprint BV; 2018. doi:10.31219/osf.io/73rza
Konopka A, Mak M, Grzywacz A, Murawiec S, Samaochowiec J.Genetic and psychosocial factors for benzodiazepine addiction. An analysis based on the results of the authors' own research conducted in a group of benzodiazepine addicted and non-addicted individuals.Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online).2017 Mar 13;71(0):205-213. doi:10.5604/01.3001.0010.3805
Naito M, Kato M, Koshikawa Y, et al.Personality as a basis for antidepressant selection for patients with depression: A two-point outcome study at 4 and 8 weeks.J Affect Disord.2022 Oct 1:314:27-33. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.001
Armstrong L, Rimes KA.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for neuroticism (stress vulnerability): a pilot randomized study.Behav Ther. 2016 May;47(3):287-98. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2015.12.005
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