NEUROSES

Neuroses:
A term generally used to describe a nonpsychotic mental illness that
triggers feelings of distress and anxiety and impairs functioning.
Neuroses are characterized by anxiety, depression, or other feelings of
unhappiness or distress that are out of proportion to the circumstances
of a person’s life. They may impair a person’s functioning in virtually
any area of his life, relationships, or external affairs, but they are not
severe enough to incapacitate the person. Affected patients generally do
not suffer from the loss of the sense of reality seen in persons with
psychoses.
The word neurosis means "nerve disorder," and was first coined in the
late eighteenth century by William Cullen, a Scottish physician.
Cullen's concept of neurosis encompassed those nervous disorders and
symptoms that do not have a clear organic cause. Sigmund Freud later
used the term anxiety neurosis to describe mental illness or distress
with extreme anxiety as a defining feature.
Types:
1. Obsessive-compulsive disorders are characterized by the
irresistible entry of unwanted ideas, thoughts, or feelings into
consciousness or by the need to repeatedly perform ritualistic
actions that the sufferer perceives as unnecessary or unwarranted.
Obsessive ideas may include recurrent violent or obscene
thoughts; compulsive behaviour includes rituals such as repetitive
hand washing or door locking. The drug clomipramine has
proved effective in treating many patients with obsessive
compulsive disorders.
2. Somatoform disorders, Somatic symptom disorder (SSD
formerly known as "somatization disorder" or "somatoform
disorder") is a form of mental illness that causes one or more
bodily symptoms, including pain. The symptoms may or may not
be traceable to a physical cause including general medical
conditions, other mental illnesses, or substance abuse. But
regardless, they cause excessive and disproportionate levels of
distress. The diagnosis of SSD can create a lot of stress and
frustration for patients. They may feel unsatisfied if there's no
better physical explanation for their symptoms or if they are told
their level of distress about a physical illness is excessive. Stress
often leads patients to become more worried about their health,
and this creates a vicious cycle that can persist for years.
 Symptoms:
 Weakness or paralysis
 Abnormal movements (such as tremor, unsteady gait,
or seizures)
 Blindness
 Hearing loss
 Loss of sensation or numbness