Health: Neurosis

World Mental Health Day was observed on October 10. This day is set apart to create greater awareness among people regarding mental diseases.The theme of this year was to call for more investment in mental diseases. People with overt mental illness like psychosis are easily identified. But due to lack of awareness among the public regarding these diseases, many times the treatment is delayed as relatives seek magic healers e.t.c., for the treatment of such problems. Neurosis is a group of mental illnesses, but the behaviour of the individual remains within socially acceptable norms. There are no delusions or hallucinations or any kind of abnormal aggressive behaviour, which are presumed to be signs of mental illness by most of the people. Hence the sickness of a person suffering from neurosis may remain untreated, as it may not be considered as an illness. There are many kinds of neurotic disorders. One may suffer from undue anxiety, disproportionate to the situation at hand. There may be fear without any reason, known technically as phobias.These are of various kinds.There may be fear of open spaces, of crowds, of speaking in front of people, of flying, of infections, e.t.c. The person may go to a great extent to avoid the situation that causes the fear in him or her. Post traumatic stress disorder is yet another kind of neurosis, where one has irrational anxiety. Hysteria, i.e. mimicking an illness for some personal gain also falls in this category. Obsessive neurosis is yet another kind of neurosis where one is obsessed with something beyond reasoning. There can be obsession for cleanliness, for security, orderliness, e.t.c. But the limit, to which the person becomes particular for something, often goes beyond rationality. I remember an elderly gentleman who lived in a 4th floor apartment and was neurotic about security. If he stepped on the road to go out somewhere, a child or neighbour would tease him saying,” Sir you have probably forgotten to lock your house.” This person would go up many times to ensure that his house is locked properly. Thus unknowingly these people expose themselves to be butt of jokes or pity.Therefore people need to know about neurosis and help a person suffering from it. The cause of these various kinds of neurosis is mental and situational. One may develop it after being exposed to a fearsome or stressful situation like P.T.S.D. Some tend to develop it even if they have a friend or family member put in a stressful situation. Feeling of insecurity during childhood is said to result in some type of neurosis after growing up. It is also said to be outward manifestation of an inner conflict within an individual.Some behaviour psychologists consider neurosis to be an inappropriate response to stress. Dryness of mouth, palpitations, sweating, restlessness, depression, inability to speak, sleep disorders, e.t.c., are physical manifestations of different types of neurosis. Along with it, there may be undue fear or depression, e.t.c, depending on the type of neurosis. A person may have more than one type of problem together. Use of alcohol and drugs tends to aggravate the symptoms of neurosis. Neurosis as a disorder is diagnosed by excluding a physical cause for that problem by means of appropriate tests. The treatment needs a lot of patience on part of family members and treating physician alike.Conditioning of the mind by creating appropriate situation is very helpful in helping a person suffering from neurosis. For example, a person having phobia of heights, can be taken patiently to heights many times and shown that there is nothing to fear. Similarly one with undue anxiety has to be counselled many times and told that there is nothing to worry. Tranquilizers and anxiety relieving drugs like alprazolam, diazepam, are beneficial for these patients. They help in reducing the mental stress and induce a sense of tranquillity in the individual. But these drugs are not safe for use over long term as one tends to get physically and emotionally dependant on them. Moreover in people taking alcohol, they are not effective. Collective efforts of family members and counsellors can ensure that people suffering from neurosis, get over their problem and become mentally healthy again. E-mail-rachna212002@yahoo.co.k