Neurotocism

is one of the Big Five higher-order personality traits in the study of psychology.
Individuals who score high on neuroticism are more likely than average to be
moody and to experience such feelings as anxiety, worry, fear, anger,
frustration, envy, jealousy, guilt, depressed mood, and loneliness

How is neuroticism treated?

Treatment can include psychotherapy, psychoactive drugs, and relaxation
exercises, such as deep breathing. Other methods include cognitive
behavioral therapy, which adjusts the faulty psychological mechanisms that
respond to the environment to react as they should.

Who is a neurotic person?

A neurotic person experiences emotional distress and unconscious conflict,

which are manifested in various physical or mental
illnesses. ... Neurotic tendencies are common and may manifest themselves
as acute or chronic anxiety, depression, an obsessive–compulsive disorder, a
phobia, or a personality disorder.

A delusion is a firm and fixed belief based on inadequate grounds not

amenable to rational argument or evidence to contrary, not in sync with
regional, cultural and educational background. As a pathology, it is distinct
from a belief based on false or incomplete
information, confabulation, dogma, illusion, or some other misleading effects
of perception.

A hallucination is a perception in the absence of external stimulus that has

qualities of real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and are
perceived to be located in external objective space. They are distinguishable
from several related phenomena, such as dreaming, which does not involve
wakefulness; pseudohallucination, which does not mimic real perception, and
is accurately perceived as unreal; illusion, which involves distorted or
misinterpreted real perception; and imagery, which does not mimic real
perception and is under voluntary control.[1] Hallucinations also differ from
"delusional perceptions", in which a correctly sensed and interpreted stimulus
(i.e., a real perception) is given some additional (and typically absurd)
significance.
 What are the signs of a neurotic person?

The definitive symptom is anxiety. Neurotic tendencies are common and may
manifest themselves as acute or chronic anxiety, depression, an obsessive–
compulsive disorder, a phobia, or a personality disorder.

5 Things to Say to Help Your Neurotic Friend

1. Start with Gentle Reassurance. One way to help your friend or loved
one is to reassure them that, in most cases, the situation they're facing is not
life or death, Samton said. ...
2. Suggest They Take a Time-Out. ...
3. Be Positive and Supportive. ...
4. Share Your Stories. ...
5. Suggest They Seek Help.

Is neurosis a mental illness?

Neurotic disorders. Neurosis refers to a class of functional mental disorder

involving distress but not delusions or hallucinations, where behavior is not
outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis
or neurotic disorder.

The Big Five personality traits, also known as the five-factor model (FFM) and
the OCEAN model, is a taxonomy for personality traits.[1] It is based on
common language descriptors. When factor analysis (a statistical technique) is
applied to personality survey data, some words used to describe aspects of
personality are often applied to the same person. For example, someone
described as conscientious is more likely to be described as "always prepared"
rather than "messy". This theory is based therefore on the association between
words but not on neuropsychological experiments. This theory uses descriptors
of common language and therefore suggests five broad dimensions commonly
used to describe the human personality and psyche.[2][3]

The five factors are:

 Openness to experience (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious)

 Conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless)
 Extraversion (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved)
 Agreeableness (friendly/compassionate vs. challenging/detached)
 Neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident)

What are the symptoms of neurosis?

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.

What are the causes of neurosis?

Symptoms and causes. There are many different neuroses: obsessive–

compulsive disorder, obsessive–compulsive personality
disorder, impulse control disorder, anxiety disorder, hysteria, and a great
variety of phobias.

PERSONALITY DISORDER
 10 personality disorders and allocates each to one of three groups or
"clusters": A, B, or C.

Cluster A (Odd, bizarre, eccentric)

 Paranoid PD
 Schizoid PD
 Schizotypal PD
Cluster B (Dramatic, erratic)

 Antisocial PD
 Borderline PD
 Histrionic PD
 Narcissistic PD
Cluster C (Anxious, fearful)

 Avoidant PD
 Dependent PD
 Obsessive-compulsive PD

1. Paranoid personality disorder

Cluster A is comprised of paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal

personality disorders. Paranoid personality disorder is characterized
by a pervasive distrust of others, including even friends, family, and
partners. As a result, this person is guarded, suspicious, and
constantly on the lookout for clues or suggestions to validate his fears.
He also has a strong sense of personal rights: He is overly sensitive to
setbacks and rebuffs, easily feels shame and humiliation, and
persistently bears grudges. Unsurprisingly, he tends to withdraw from
others and to struggle with building close relationships. The principal
ego defense in paranoid PD is projection, which involves attributing
one’s unacceptable thoughts and feelings to other people. A large,
long-term twin study found that paranoid PD is modestly heritable, and
that it shares a portion of its genetic and environmental risk factors
with schizoid PD and schizotypal PD.
2. Schizoid personality disorder

The term "schizoid" designates a natural tendency to

direct attention toward one’s inner life and away from the external
world. A person with schizoid PD is detached and aloof and prone to
introspection and fantasy. He has no desire for social or sexual
relationships, is indifferent to others and to social norms and
conventions, and lacks emotional response. A competing theory about
people with schizoid PD is that they are in fact highly sensitive with a
rich inner life: They experience a deep longing for intimacy, but find
initiating and maintaining close relationships too difficult or distressing,
and so retreat into their inner world. People with schizoid PD rarely
present to medical attention, because despite their reluctance to form
close relationships, they are generally well functioning and quite
untroubled by their apparent oddness.

3. Schizotypal disorder

Schizotypal PD is characterized by oddities of appearance, behavior,

and speech, unusual perceptual experiences, and anomalies of
thinking similar to those seen in schizophrenia. These latter can
include odd beliefs, magical thinking (for instance, thinking that
speaking of the devil can make him appear), suspiciousness, and
obsessive ruminations. People with schizotypal PD often fear social
interaction and think of others as harmful. This may lead them to
develop so-called ideas of reference — that is, beliefs or intuitions that
events and happenings are somehow related to them. So whereas
people with schizotypal PD and people with schizoid PD both avoid
social interaction, with the former it is because they fear others,
whereas with the latter it is because they have no desire to interact
with others or find interacting with others too difficult. People with
schizotypal PD have a higher than average probability of developing
schizophrenia, and the condition used to be called "latent
schizophrenia."

4. Antisocial personality disorder

Cluster B is comprised of antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and

narcissistic personality disorders. Until psychiatrist Kurt Schneider
(1887-1967) broadened the concept of personality disorder to include
those who "suffer from their abnormality," personality disorder was
more or less synonymous with antisocial personality disorder.
Antisocial PD is much more common in men than in women and is
characterized by a callous unconcern for the feelings of others. The
person disregards social rules and obligations, is irritable and
aggressive, acts impulsively, lacks guilt, and fails to learn from
experience. In many cases, he has no difficulty finding relationships —
and can even appear superficially charming (the so-called "charming
psychopath") — but these relationships are usually fiery, turbulent,
and short-lived. As antisocial PD is the mental disorder most closely
correlated with crime, he is likely to have a criminal record or a history
of being in and out of prison.

Borderline personality disorder

In borderline PD (or emotionally unstable PD), the person essentially

lacks a sense of self and, as a result, experiences feelings of
emptiness and fears of abandonment. There is a pattern of intense but
unstable relationships, emotional instability, outbursts of anger and
violence (especially in response to criticism), and impulsive
behavior. Suicidal threats and acts of self-harmare common, for which
reason many people with borderline PD frequently come to medical
attention. Borderline PD was so called, because it was thought to lie
on the "borderline" between neurotic (anxiety) disorders and psychotic
disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It has been
suggested that borderline personality disorder often results
from childhoodsexual abuse, and that it is more common in women, in
part because women are more likely to suffer sexual abuse. However,
feminists have argued that borderline PD is more common in women,
because women presenting with angry and promiscuous behavior
tend to be labeled with it, whereas men presenting with similar
behaviour tend instead to be labeled with antisocial PD.

6. Histrionic personality disorder

People with histrionic PD lack a sense of self-worth and depend on

attracting the attention and approval of others for their wellbeing. They
often seem to be dramatizing or "playing a part" in a bid to be heard
and seen. Indeed, "histrionic" derives from the Latin histrionicus,
"pertaining to the actor." People with histrionic PD may take great care
of their appearance and behave in a manner that is overly charming or
inappropriately seductive. As they crave excitement and act on
impulse or suggestion, they can place themselves at risk of accident or
exploitation. Their dealings with others often seem insincere or
superficial, which in the longer term can adversely impact their social
and romantic relationships. This is especially distressing to them, as
they are sensitive to criticism and rejection and react badly to loss or
failure. A vicious circle may take hold in which the more rejected they
feel, the more histrionic they become — and the more histrionic they
become, the more rejected they feel. It can be argued that a vicious
circle of some kind is at the heart of every personality disorder and,
indeed, every mental disorder.

7. Narcissistic personality disorder

In narcissistic PD, the person has an extreme feeling of

self-importance, a sense of entitlement, and a need to be admired. He
is envious of others and expects them to be the same of him. He
lacks empathy and readily lies and exploits others to achieve his aims.
To others, he may seem self-absorbed, controlling, intolerant, selfish,
or insensitive. If he feels obstructed or ridiculed, he can fly into a fit of
destructive anger and revenge. Such a reaction is sometimes called
"narcissistic rage" and can have disastrous consequences for all those
involved.

8. Avoidant personality disorder

Cluster C is comprised of avoidant, dependent, and anankastic

personality disorders. People with avoidant PD believe that they are
socially inept, unappealing, or inferior, and constantly fear being
embarrassed, criticized, or rejected. They avoid meeting others unless
they are certain of being liked and are restrained even in their intimate
relationships. Avoidant PD is strongly associated with anxiety
disorders, and may also be associated with actual or felt rejection
by parents or peers in childhood. Research suggests that people with
avoidant PD excessively monitor internal reactions, both their own and
those of others, which prevents them from engaging naturally or
fluently in social situations. A vicious circle takes hold in which the
more they monitor their internal reactions, the more inept they feel;
and the more inept they feel, the more they monitor their internal
reactions.

9. Dependent personality disorder

Dependent PD is characterized by a lack of self-confidence and an

excessive need to be looked after. This person needs a lot of help in
making everyday decisions and surrenders important life decisions to
the care of others. He greatly fears abandonment and may go through
considerable lengths to secure and maintain relationships. A person
with dependent PD sees himself as inadequate and helpless, and so
surrenders his personal responsibility and submits himself to one or
more protective others. He imagines that he is at one with these
protective other(s), whom he idealizes as competent and powerful,
and towards whom he behaves in a manner that is ingratiating and
self-effacing. People with dependent PD often end up with people with
a cluster B personality disorder, who feed on the unconditional high
regard in which they are held. Overall, people with dependent PD
maintain a naïve and child-like perspective and have limited insight
into themselves and others. This entrenches their dependency,
leaving them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

10. Anankastic (obsessive-compulsive) personality disorder

Anankastic PD is characterized by an excessive preoccupation with

details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules; perfectionism so
extreme that it prevents a task from being completed; and devotion to
work and productivity at the expense of leisure and relationships. A
person with anankastic PD is typically doubting and cautious, rigid and
controlling, humorless, and miserly. His underlying anxiety arises from
a perceived lack of control over a world that eludes his
understanding, and the more he tries to exert control, the more out of
control he feels. As a consequence, he has little tolerance for
complexity or nuance, and tends to simplify the world by seeing things
as either all good or all bad. His relationships with colleagues, friends,
and family are often strained by the unreasonable and inflexible
demands that he makes upon them.

PSYCHOTIC DISORDER

Psychotic Disorder are a group of serious illnesses that

affect the mind. They make it hard for someone to think
clearly, make good judgments, respond emotionally,
communicate effectively, understand reality, and
behave appropriately.
When symptoms are severe, people with psychotic
disorders have trouble staying in touch with reality and
often are unable to handle daily life. But even severe
psychotic disorders usually can be treated.

Types
There are different types of psychotic disorders,
including:
Schizophrenia: People with this illness have changes
in behavior and other symptoms -- such as delusions
and hallucinations -- that last longer than 6 months. It
usually affects them at work or school, as well as their
relationships.
Schizoaffective disorder: People have symptoms of
both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, such as
depression or bipolar disorder.
Schizophreniform disorder: This
includes symptoms of schizophrenia, but the
symptoms last for a shorter time: between 1 and 6
months.

Brief psychotic disorder: People with this illness

have a sudden, short period of psychotic behavior,
often in response to a very stressful event, such as a
death in the family. Recovery is often quick -- usually
less than a month.
Delusional disorder : The key symptom is having a
delusion (a false, fixed belief) involving a real-life
situation that could be true but isn't, such as being
followed, being plotted against, or having a disease.
The delusion lasts for at least 1 month.
Shared psychotic disorder (also called folie à
deux): This illness happens when one person in a
relationship has a delusion and the other person in the
relationship adopts it, too.
Substance-induced psychotic disorder: This
condition is caused by the use of or withdrawal from
drugs, such as hallucinogens and crack cocaine, that
cause hallucinations, delusions, or confused speech.
Psychotic disorder due to another medical
condition: Hallucinations, delusions, or other
symptoms may happen because of another illness that
affects brain function, such as a head injury or brain
tumor.
Paraphrenia: This condition has symptoms similar to
schizophrenia. It starts late in life, when people are
elderly.

Symptoms
Hallucinations means seeing, hearing, or feeling
things that don’t exist. For instance, someone might
see things that aren't there, hear voices, smell odors,
have a "funny" taste in their mouth, or feel sensations
on their skin even though nothing is touching their
body.
Delusions are false beliefs that don’t go away after
even after they've been shown to be false. For example,
a person who is certain his or her food is poisoned,
even if someone has shown them that the food is fine,
has a delusion.
Other possible symptoms of psychotic illnesses
include:

 Disorganized or incoherent speech

 Confused thinking
 Strange, possibly dangerous behavior
 Slowed or unusual movements
 Loss of interest in personal hygiene
 Loss of interest in activities
  Problems at school or work and with relationships
 Cold, detached manner with the inability to
express emotion
 Mood swings or other mood symptoms, such as
depression or mania

People don’t always have the same symptoms, and

they can change over time in the same person.

Causes
Doctors don't know the exact cause of psychotic
disorders. Researchers believe that many things play a
role. Some psychotic disorders tend to run in families,
which means that the disorder may be partly inherited.
Other things may also influence their development,
including stress, drug abuse, and major life changes.
People with certain psychotic disorders, such as
schizophrenia, may also have problems in parts of the
brain that control thinking, perception, and motivation.
In schizophrenia, experts believe that nerve cell
receptors that work with a brain chemical called
glutamate may not work properly in specific brain
regions. That glitch may contribute to problems with
thinking and perception.
These conditions usually first appear when a person is
in his or her late teens, 20s, or 30s. They tend to affect
men and women about equally.

Diagnosis
To diagnose a psychotic disorder, doctors will take a
medical and psychiatric history and possibly perform a
brief physical exam. The person may get blood tests
and sometimes brain imaging (such as MRI scans) to
rule out physical illness or drug use like cocaine or LSD.
If the doctor finds no physical reason for the symptoms,
he or she may refer the person to a psychiatrist or
psychologist. These mental health professionals will
use specially designed interview and assessment tools
to decide whether the person has a psychotic disorder.

Treatment
Most psychotic disorders are treated with a
combination of medications and psychotherapy, which
is a type of counseling.

Medication: The main type of drug that doctors

prescribe to treat psychotic disorders are
“antipsychotics.” Although these medicines aren’t a
cure, they are effective in managing the most troubling
symptoms of psychotic disorders, such as delusions,
hallucinations, and thinking problems.
Older antipsychotics include:

 Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
 Fluphenazine (Prolixin)
 Haloperidol (Haldol)
 Loxapine (Loxitane)
 Perphenazine (Trilafon)
 Thioridazine (Mellaril)

Newer "atypical antipsychotics" include:

  Aripiprazole (Abilify)
 Asenapine (Saphris)
 Brexpiprazole (Rexulti)
 Cariprazine (Vraylar)
 Clozapine (Clozaril)
 Iloperidone (Fanapt)
 Lurasidone (Latuda)
 Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
 Paliperidone (Invega)
 Paliperidone palmitate (Invega Sustenna, Invega
Trinza)
 Quetiapine (Seroquel)
 Risperidone (Risperdal)
 Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Doctors usually first prescribe the newer ones because

they have fewer and more tolerable side effects than
older antipsychotics. Some of the medications are
available by injection and only need to be taken once or
twice a month. This can be easier to manage than
remembering to take a daily pill.
Psychotherapy: There are different types of
counseling -- including individual, group, and family
therapy – that can help someone who has a psychotic
disorder.
Most people with psychotic disorders are treated as
outpatients, meaning they don’t live in institutions. But
sometimes people need to be hospitalized, such as if
they have severe symptoms, are in danger of hurting
themselves or others, or can’t care for themselves
because of their illness.
Recovery
Each person being treated for a psychotic disorder may
respond to therapy differently. Some will show
improvement quickly. For others, it may take weeks or
months to get symptom relief.
Some people may need to continue treatment for an
extended period of time. Some, such as those who
have had several severe episodes, may need to take
medication indefinitely. In these cases, the medication
usually is given in as low a dose as possible to minimize
side effects.