Neurosis in contemporary workplaces and society: understanding and management

¶ … Personality Theory

Neurosis in the workplace and in society in general

This essay discusses with regard to neurosis and to the degree to which it can affect a person. The paper relates to how the contemporary society has a somewhat limited understanding of the concept and concerning how the fact that many mental health specialists consider the matter to be outdated does not help neurotic individuals and people around them. There are a multitude of topics that one can associate with neurosis and by comprehending what it entails and strategies that one can take with the purpose to reduce the influence that its symptoms have on individuals and environments they interact with, one can successfully combat the condition.

Neurosis in the workplace is a sensible issue, as it would be difficult for a coworker to simply diagnose one of his or her colleagues or to go as far as to attempt to provide the respective person with solutions for his or her problem. Even with this, it is difficult to ignore the way that neurosis affects a person and the environment that he or she works in, taking into account the series of factors characteristic to such a case.

Introduction

There is much controversy with regard to neurosis and to reasons why it controls a person's thinking. The majority of psychoanalysts promote the idea of neurosis as being a serious mental issue that grabs hold of an individual and requires to be fought with a series of treatment methods. By considering my workplace and the way it functions, it would be safe to say that neuroticism has been present at times and that its presence reflected on the company as a whole -- in some situations in a negative way and in some cases in a positive way. There are numerous factors playing an important role in triggering neuroticism and these respective factors can in turn be caused by circumstances that people come across.

Nature vs. Nurture

Dealing with a neurotic in the workplace can require a great deal of attention, as his or her colleagues would have to have a complex understanding of the condition and get actively involved in trying to reduce the gravity of problems associated with it. While genetics are also important when it comes to neurosis, people's upbringing is also significant at this point, as the environments they interact with throughout their lives reflect on their thinking and behavior.

Neurotics and religion

Neurotic individuals are typically hesitant about getting involved in long-term relationships. Most feel that doing so would bring along a series of issues that could be too much to handle and thus prefer to avoid coming across anything resembling commitment. Christianity can also be considered a field that involves a long-term relationship and is thus often rejected by neurotics. Individuals consider that God Himself might be intrusive and might be too demanding. As a consequence, they are reluctant to put across religious attitudes, as they feel that this might be too much for them. Emotional detachment is a key element in a neurotic person's life, as he or she might interpret feelings as hostile concepts -- things that take up their time and that make them vulnerable to being hurt.

Social and Cultural Influences

As previously mentioned, neurosis can develop as a consequence of the environment a person lives in, with nurture playing a significant role in shaping a person's thinking and perception of the world. "The newer thinking contributed by self-psychology is that the real or healthy self requires "self objects" throughout life for healthy growth to proceed. We grow and continue to grow in supportive, validating, af-rming, interactive, intersubjective, I Thou environments." (Rubin 2010, p. 5) There are numerous variables at this point, as the individual can react differently to an environment that is likely to trigger neurosis. Some people reject ideas present in such environments and successfully overcome the condition while others yield to these respective ideas and are eventually left with no alternative but to allow their personality to be shaped.

Gender influences

Gender is a good example of a concept that can influence a person's neurosis in the workplace. The respective individual can be more or less predisposed to developing the condition as a consequence of how she or she perceives his or her role in the work environment. Someone can practically be inclined to be neurotic as a consequence of thinking that his or her work colleagues discriminate him or her. Self-esteem is especially important, as a person with a high self-esteem can rapidly come reach absurd conclusions in cases when his or her self-esteem decreases. The individual can then feel pressured by the environment he or she stays in or might be inclined to feel that persons that he or she interacts with are determined to harm him or her.

Intrapsychic conflicts of the idealized self and self-hatred Neurosis as a developmental concept can take on a long process during which the individual struggles with and yields to pressure at the same time. Persons suffering from neurosis can try and avoid having prolonged contact with others because they perceive this as a weakness. "For instance, the idealized self of those characterized by moving away is a self free from dependency on others, someone who remains serene and aloof at all times, able to be unmoved by strong emotions." (Parker et al., 37) The fact that individuals often have a limited understanding of neurosis makes it difficult for them to distinguish between it and other mental health problems. Even with this, by observing a neurotic person and by considering the actions that he or she takes in an attempt to achieve his or her goals, one can gain a more complex understanding of what the condition actually involves and of the strategies that he or she should take with regard to the individual who is in pain. The Oedipal complex is often the first idea that people consider when coming across instances involving neurosis. These individuals are inclined to think like this because of how neurotic people come to feel that they are somewhat inferior with regard to the world and thus have to compensate for their condition.

Conclusion

Neurosis can severely affect a person's ability to think normal, as he or she might constantly feel that they are in a critical condition and that they can either do something about it or that they have to accept it. Either response to the problem is not actually a response to the mental aspect of the situation, as it is a response to the problem that the person wrongly believes he or she has. Conditions in the workplace can be especially problematic when one of the workers is neurotic, as he or she might undermine the position of other individuals in the company and can indirectly harm both him or herself and other people.

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Parker, S., Dewberry, J., Lloyd, B., & Smith, J.R., "Moving Away, Against and Toward God: Karen Horney's Neurotic Trends and Relationship to God." Journal of Psychology and Christianity 2009, Vol. 28, No. 1, 36-43.

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