In her 1942 book "Self-Analysis," Horney outlined her theory of neurosis, describing different types of neurotic behavior as a result of overusing coping strategies to deal with basic anxiety. This article discusses Horney's theory of neurotic needs, including those for power, prestige, and affection.
Horney proposed three specific neurotic trends, which are rooted in how an individual interacts with and perceives other people; the Compliant type (moves towards people), the Aggressive type (moves against people), and the Detached type (moves away from people).
Karen Horney's interpersonal theory of adjustment defined three different neurotic trends involving characteristic social behavior and motives: compliant (moving toward people), aggressive (moving against people), and detached (moving away from people).
Some common examples of neurotic behavior can include:
Difficulty taking care of basic needs, such as shopping, hygiene, paying bills or keeping a job, as a result of depression or anxiety. Jealousy of others to the point of distraction. Inability to be grateful for your own achievements or possessions.
1. The neurotic need for affection and approval, the indiscriminate need to please others and be liked by them. 2. The neurotic need for a partner, for someone who will take over one's life.
The neurotic needs described by Horney include the need for affection, partnership, structure, power, control, prestige, admiration, achievement, independence, and perfection.
Neuroticism, one of the Big 5 personality traits, is typically defined as a tendency toward anxiety, depression, self-doubt, and other negative feelings. All personality traits, including neuroticism, exist on a spectrum—some people are just much more neurotic than others.
There are 5 layers of neurosis that are identified with keeping people from experiences a full and capable life which include; phony layer, phobic layer, impasse layer, implosive and explosive layers.
Horney theorized that children combat basic anxiety by adopting one of the three fundamental styles of relating to others: Moving toward people – become compliant. Moving away from people – become detached. Moving against people – become aggressive.
Karen Horney was a German-American psychoanalyst. She lived between 1885-1952. She split from the traditional emphasis of psychoanalysis created by Sigmund Freud and instead suggested that personality and disorders are developed due to environmental and social factors.
Neuroticism is the trait disposition to experience negative affects, including anger, anxiety, self‐consciousness, irritability, emotional instability, and depression1.
Maslow also called these basic needs neurotic needs or deficient needs because if you're focused on meeting these needs, you have a lot of fear. You don't feel yourself. You can't operate from a calm, quiet center. Any unmet basic need causes problems and tensions that we seek to resolve.
People with neuroticism tend to have more depressed moods and suffer from feelings of guilt, envy, anger, and anxiety more frequently and more severely than other individuals. They can be particularly sensitive to environmental stress. People with neuroticism may see everyday situations as menacing and major.
Common Neurotic Traits
People who are at the higher end are often described as having a neurotic personality and tend to show the following characteristics: An overall tendency toward negative emotions. Feels of anxiety or irritability. Poor emotional stability. Feelings of self-doubt.
Such irritants include chronic stress at work, disputes at home, household troubles, health problems, loss of loved ones, financial issues, and so on. Overwork, insufficient rest, and an inability to relax all contribute to the development of neurosis.
The core elements of neurosis: mixed anxiety-depression (cothymia) and personality disorder.
The best way to directly address your neuroticism is to enter therapy. Highly neurotic individuals can improve with therapy, medication, or a combination of both. Counseling offers a validating environment for you to express/process your feelings and improve your coping skills.
Symptoms of a neurotic disorder include uncontrollable anxiety, apprehension, worry, and guilt.
Highly neurotic individuals are defensive pessimists. They experience the world as unsafe and use fundamentally different strategies in dealing with distress than non-neurotic people do. They are vigilant against potential harm in their environment and constantly scan the environment for evidence of potential harm.
Individuals tend to increase their levels of Neuroticism, especially in young adult life, between 20 and 40 years of age, and older people tend to obtain lower scores (Roberts et al., 2006).
Signs and symptoms
easy emotional stimulation. persistent worrying or ruminating. finding it challenging to manage emotions in the moment. experiencing major shifts in emotions.