The Neurotic Needs According to Karen Horney M,D.

(Rewritten and slightly modified for today’s students and self-analysand’s, who ask, ” Is this possibly true in my case?”)

According to Karen Horney, Authority on Self-Analysis and modernized of psychoanalysis.

Neurotic needs:

Characteristically are compulsive and cause anxiety. These two

characteristics exclude them from those called normal.

The neurotic related needs partly reveal themselves by the features:

Compulsion or inhibition, repetitious occurrence and over time lead to

undesirable personal or social consequences.

“Basic anxiety is the foundation of the neurotic personality”, She

appears to be saying; –to understand neurotic symptoms or behaviors,

one needs to see what it is, that is anxiety generating. Or once in

place a neurotic need or symptom is kept there by the anxiety and

defenses connected with it.

Dr. Horney, also identifies strategies that correspond to these

neurotic needs, which neurotic overloaded persons develop to cope with

their excessive anxiety and feelings of helplessness and loneliness.

These states having been arrived at over time in connection handling

their particular neurotic needs.

Therefor those complaining of neurotic symptoms have arrived at these,

as the end product of conflicts related to one or several of these

neurotic needs or their related issues. At different times in a person’s

life different needs may be the dominant one in conflict. Dr. Horney

avoided use of the word “complex” however, a neurotic need with related

issues, sensitivities, triggers, compulsions and the power to generate

defenses and anxiety could understandably be called a personal complex.

Karen Horney first listed these 10 “neurotic needs” in Self-Analysis,

1942, pp. 51-56.and modified them slightly in later works.

#1

The neurotic need for affection and approval (see her early work “The

Neurotic Personality of Our Time”, Chapter 6,

Here the normal on the need for affection becomes neurotic when it

becomes dominant, excessive, compulsive, repetitious ).

Of course, many variations and modes of expression exist that are not

sexual, (The openly sexual neurotic needs we can approach better when

understand how the smaller neurotic needs operate.)

For example: Such, a lessor part of this meed for some might be an

indiscriminate need to please others and to be liked and approved of by

others.

Smoother nay seem driven compulsively to living up to the expectations

of others and submerging their own beliefs.

There are others, for whom, the need for affection focuses overly on

the cues and emotional signals and even the belief and ideals of their

significant others and exclude any their own,

In some cases it may be the dread of self-assertion that is becomes

formost involved as blocking a hope of satisfaction.

Clinical experience points to the handling of hostility as being a

frequent cause of disturbance in those whom the need for affection is

disturbed neurotically.

For some it is a dread of hostility on the part of others, for some

others, it is the connection to hostile feelings within self.

Few would disagree with the premise that the need for affection is

mixed into everyone’s life, but when out of hand one way or the other

deserves to be called neurotic.

#2

The neurotic need for a “partner” who will take over one’s life (see

New Ways in Psychoanalysis, Chapter 15, on masochism,)

Here normal partnering needs are overridden by a compulsively focus on

the “partner,” who is to fulfill all expectations of life and take

responsibility for good and evil, his/her successful manipulation [of

this partner] becoming the predominant task; and connected is the

[rationalized] overvaluation of “love” because “love” is supposed to

solve all problems.

The psychology of normal love much less love neurotic, is individual

and not the same for all. In some cases, it stand out that the dread of

desertion is frightening or even sometimes a dread of being on one’s own

in life are serious anxiety causing. Such dreads usually relates to

both a persons childhood experiences and the very real dangers of

separation or change in the present. To ignore such real dangers is just

as ‘neurotic’ as any over concern may be.

#3

The neurotic need to restrict one’s life within narrow borders:

This need is strongly conditioned by a personas social and life

situation, yet each one has to find a place for himself that becomes an

extension of himself. Yet for many it is clear that in there particular

case, they close off there potential for reasonable use of their

potentials do to what are mostly compulsive inhibitions and thus a

neurotic event in the life of that person.

For some this “Neurotic Need” may appear in some other substitute forms,

such as the necessity to be undemanding and contented with little, and

to restrict ambitions and wishes for material things; (a compulsion,

often overlooked item on many psychological inventories) or may exist

as a compulsive ‘necessity’ to remain inconspicuous and to take second

place; often with tendency to self-belittling their good faculties and

potentialities, with a exaggerated modesty.

For some it also connects to a compulsive urge to save rather than to

spend or even to self-sacrifice for your family. friends, country.

There Ia a type that shows a dread of making any demands. Some may

dread having to start or follow through on asserting reasonable or

clearly necessary needs and rights. Occasionally there may occur a

revolt and curious inclination reversals, which seem out of the blue.

#4

. The neurotic need for power and control: ( The Neurotic Personality

of Our Time, Chapter 10, on the need for power, prestige, and

possession): [See also A. Adler'sviews on the importance of a 'power

drive.]

Here it is, that domination over others appears to be craved for its

own sake; It may take several forms, not always obvious such as an

excessive and compulsive devotion to cause, duty, responsibility, a

maintained and open exaggerated respect for some selected model

person or an equal disrespect for ‘others’. This neurotic manipulation

uses several modes of attack aimed at discrediting these others; their

individuality, their dignity, their feelings, the only concern being

their subordination in the exchange.

Some appear to have adoration only for strength and are ready to show

contempt and loathing for any sigh of weakness in others and at times

in any weakness showing in their own self. Compulsive control issues

are common and extends even a dread of uncontrollable situations. Some

may dread anything, situating them as even momentarily helplessness.

The neurotic need to control aspect encompasses both, oneself and

others and may indirectly assert by use of reason and foresight as a

kind of comparmentalized image and role playing and thus not openly

showing the deeper domination goal. This rationalization procedure may

be useful for those who are too inhibited as to exert power directly

and openly.

Those with the power and control, neurotic striving, as domminent,

often offer a strong belief in the omnipotence of intelligence and

reason and deny the power of emotional forces and have contempt for

them in themselves as well as others. At times, they dread and reject

any recognizing of limitations to the power of reason. A feeling of

fortitude may be gained from the belief in the magic power of will

(like possession of a wishing ring as if reality itself is to change

because they wish it so.)

#5

The neurotic need to exploit others and by hook or crook get the better

of them, others are evaluated primarily according to whether or not

they can be exploited or made use of. While not every person shows this

need openly, there are some in which it permeates every thing they

think of and shapes thier behaviour.

Characteristicly these persons size on various foci of

exploitation-money (bargaining amounts, deals with passion), but extend

this inclination to aspects of profession, money, sexuality, followed

by an appearent pride in theeir exploitative skills. Not uncommonly,

from time to time, they are overtaken with a dread of being exploited

by others.

#6

The neurotic need for social recognition or prestige (may or may not be

combined with a craving for power and other neurotic needs.)

For many this is a socialy conditioned and recognized desire which

meets many blockages from ones iamage of the self within and the

standards of relality externally. Under the compulive push of the

reccognition/prestege neurotic need ,secondary things take on

exagerated value-partly inanimate objects, money, clothers, cars even

selected pretege reresenting persons. Sometimes it also siezes on very

inflated valuing of one’s own qualities, activities, and feelings. With

the result that everything becomes evaluated and accpted according to

their prestige enhansing values.

Some may turn to rebellious or do exagerated ways of inciting

attention, envy or admiration. Some ovver-eacting aspects may be

triggered by when these values are challenged. The concepts of losing

face, , status, suffering any humiliation or insult takes on an

exagerated obcessional quality,

#7

The neurotic need for personal admiration: Inflated image of self

(narcissism); This neurotic need for personal admiration to recognizing

it and separate it from parts of need #6 above, one has to here

recognixe the dominance is not of things external per se, but dominace

from the very core of neurotic personality. {In Dr. Horney’s View THE

GLOIFIED SELF IMAGE}

It is not the need to be admired for what one possesses or presents in

the public eye but for the imagined self.

It is self-evaluation and self navigation dependent on living up to

this ‘Glorifed’image and thesearh for glory has at main purpose, the

admiration of it by others;

Dread of losing admiration. Here the triggers to humiliation can be

diverse and set off by very some and unintented slights or even

compliments that fail to carry desired key words).

#8

he neurotic ambition for personal achievement: Need to surpass others

not through what one presents or is but through one’s activities;The

need stands our from normal competive encourament common to industrial

socieies in that moven from a practical and resonable intention to

being a dominent need where

a preson’s self-evaluation is dependent on being not only on being

adiquate in his chosen obectives

but compulsivly uses this mode of self-evaluation in place of noram;

ballanced handling and coping modes. than any other, and extends it to

use as near universal in his way of thinking and feeling,

His standards require he be the very best-lover, sportsman, writer,

worker-(particularly in his own mind and not necisariily in fact), The

recognition by others being vital to him, and its absence is strongly

resented.

Over time the misdirection and frusttion caused by the tendency will

trigger reaction formation, such as a mixture of destructive

tendencies, toward the defeat of others, alienation or self lothing

In time the relentless driving of self to greater achievements, though

with it’s acompaning pervasive anxiety may cause a self-made inner

shift to realistic accomidation or failinf this a breakdown.

#9

The neurotic need for self-sufficiency and independence:

Some aspects of the need touches the other dominent neurotic needs.

Those whom have it a their dom inent need generally are aware that

something is not right in respect to how the relate to others. The

diletic issues most people navigate with compromise and adaptation such

as issues of complance, bonding to significant others. loyalty appear

to be sidesptepped or compulsivly avoided. Their phlyosophy seems to

bel It is necessity never to need anybody, or to yield to any

influence, or to be tied down to anything, any closeness involving the

danger of enslavement; Distance and separateness the only source of

security; Dread of needing others, of ties, of closeness, of love.

#10

The neurotic need for perfection and unassailability. Certainly the

perfection tendency, when full blown makes life difficult for this type

and any who are close to them. When you add the defensive attitude as

equally dominant - the one of unassailability, this type defines itself

as type.

(see New Ways in Psychoanalysis, Chapter 13, on the super-ego, and

Freud’s description of a ‘harsh

super-ego”

Here the overdrive for a relentless pursuit for perfection overrides

and may indeed hite other important personality features normal and

neurotic. The self-analyst in particular may have difficulty getting

past this domination and moving on to productive content. This analytic

impasse generally takes the form of a persitent rumination and

self-recriminations regarding possible flaws that may have been

overlord or improperly analyzed or given a flawed interpretation. These

self-analysand excell at this resistance to their w satisfaction, of

course.

Whenever the issue seems to relate to one’s feelings of superiority

over others, it is because of being so perfect, there is the dread of

finding flaws within self or of making mistakes, of receiving criticism

or reproach, that cuts away at his glorified self image.

Note: In this rewrite I may have put Dr. Horney’s list through

distortions she would have objected to. Never the less I excuse myself

because the revised list will be more useful to today’s self-analysts.

The words “Neurotic” and “Conflict” are not DSM IV terms, nevertheless

to avoid using them, one has to draw together longer combinations of

words or ignore historic usage.

–Chirobut

Later: Neurotic Things- Pride, Glory, Your should’s, Repression, Basic

Conflicts, Anxiety.

fateanalysisguy@gmail.com

Rewritten with appology to Dr. Horney 12-31-09

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