How is Neurosis different from Neuroticism?

The term, “Neurosis” (plural: Neuroses) is used in multiple ways to refer to an abnormality in psychological processes. Currently, it is used to describe a classification of disorders that includes symptoms of anxiety, depression, obsessive states of thinking and bodily changes.

Neuroticism on the other hand is one of the Big Five personality traits that describe the degree to which someone experiences and stays in a negative emotional state. The big five personality traits is a personality theory that categorises the various personality traits that we may have into five different categories - openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

What is Neuroticism?

To understand what neuroticism means, we first need to know about the Big Five Personality Model.

Unlike other trait theories that sort individuals into binary categories (i.e. introvert or extrovert), the Big Five Model asserts that each personality trait is a spectrum.

Neuroticism is described as a prolonged tendency to remain in a negative or anxious emotional state. It’s not a disorder, but one of the personality traits which make up the five-factor model of personality along with extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. It is a widely used model for personality evaluations across different demographics. 

What is Neurosis?

Neurotic Disorders is a classification of mental health disorders characterised by an impact on daily functioning. Unlike psychosis, those with neurosis are not detached from reality; they may have trouble coping with stressful experiences and negative emotions.

How are they different?

Those that are rated high on Neuroticism have a high tendency to suffer from negative emotions like anger, envy, guilt, and anxiety as opposed to others. They can be especially sensitive to environmental stressors and might perceive everyday frustrations as threatening that may seem unimportant to others, causing despair.

People high on neuroticism are more on the timid and self-conscious side and may tend to internalise neurotic traits like panic, anxiety, aggression, etc. While neuroticism does not qualify as a diagnosis, mental health professionals do not negate the possibility of it feeding into mental and physical health problems. 

On the other hand, the term, ‘neurosis’ was originally termed in the 18th century to describe a range of mental health disorders that could not be explained by a physical cause. 

Neurosis does not have one single definition. 

Some psychiatrists and psychologists use it to refer to anxious behaviours and symptoms. Others use it to describe a range of disorders outside psychotic conditions, also called ‘neurotic disorders’. Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung used the term to describe the (negative) thought process.

Currently, Neurosis is widely used to refer to psychological disorders that affect someone’s daily functioning without making them lose touch with reality. Neuroses can be described as an obstruction preventing someone from adapting to their environment. Those diagnosed with a neurotic disorder may find it tough to cope with changes. 

Also Read: 5 Therapist-Recommended Tools to Deal With Anxiety

Some of the most prevalent mental health disorders fall under neurotic disorders. They are:

• Anxiety: Anxiety is characterised by feelings of excessive worry, restlessness, sleep problems, and difficulty focusing. 
• Depression: Those diagnosed with depression may experience extreme levels of change in their energy levels, feelings of loneliness, long-term sadness, and often anxiety.
• Phobias: Phobias are intense fears about specific objects or situations that are often irrational. These are divided into three types - specific phobias, agoraphobia, and social phobia. 
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Those diagnosed with OCD experience negative intrusive thoughts on a daily basis that are involuntary and negatively affect their behaviours. These behaviours may deteriorate their quality of life by impacting their daily functioning. 
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: This is a kind of anxiety disorder arising in people who have experienced an extremely traumatic event in the past. They may have flashbacks or nightmares causing them to relive the trauma along with symptoms of depression.

Also Read: 5 Major Types of Anxiety Disorders

Final Word

The term neuroses has had varying definitions for centuries. While it is not functional currently, it has played a major role in understanding psychological processes and diagnosing them. Both Neuroses and Neuroticism hint towards mental processes characterised by anxious thought patterns or a negative emotional state, but differ in usage in the mental health field. 

Neuroticism is a trait, and ‘neuroses’ has been used to refer to mental health disorders with symptoms of anxiety and obsessive thinking.

Sources: https://genetic.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/KS-Neuroses-and-Neuroticism.pdf

https://www.k31.ru/en/service/psihoterapiya/nevrozy-ili-nevroticheskie-rasstroystva.html

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/246608#:~:text=In%20basic%20terms%2C%20neurosis%20is,meaning%2C%20but%20this%20is%20inaccurate.