What Is Anxiety Neurosis?

Anxiety neurosis is a condition characterized by a constant feeling of frustration and fear, and sometimes even despair. Particularly common among people with above-average intelligence levels, anxiety neurosis generally arises from an individual's perceived inability to adapt to the trials of life. It is much more severe than everyday worrying; it is an intense feeling of anxiety, disproportionate to the trigger, and can actually interfere with a person's ability to function normally.

History

• In 1895, Freud made the first suggestion that anxiety isn't necessarily a symptom of some other disorder but can actually be the primary problem. With this, anxiety neurosis became a legitimate condition instead of a symptom or side effect.

Psychological Symptoms

• A consistent feeling of confinement, restlessness and apprehension is the most common symptom. The person can easily become obsessed with the perceived source of fear (or even the feeling itself), developing a phobia. Insomnia and irritability are common accompaniments to anxiety neurosis.

Physical Symptoms

• People who suffer from anxiety neurosis are often tense. Increased heart rate, sweating, facial pallor, decreased libido, weight loss, diarrhea and dry-mouth are also extremely common among sufferers.

Causes

• Commonly accepted causes of anxiety neurosis include: a sense of inferiority stemming from an inability to assert oneself, conflict between two strong emotions, and extreme frustration with the discrepancy between the world as the individual sees it and the world as that individual believes it should be.

Treatment

• Talk therapy and other types of professional counseling are the most usual and effective ways to deal with anxiety neurosis, although medication may be used in severe cases.