anxiety neurosis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “anxiety neurosis” mean?
A psychiatric or psychological condition characterised by chronic, excessive anxiety and worry, often accompanied by physical symptoms, without a specific external cause.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A psychiatric or psychological condition characterised by chronic, excessive anxiety and worry, often accompanied by physical symptoms, without a specific external cause.
Historically, a diagnostic term for a pattern of nervous disorder dominated by anxious expectation, now largely superseded by more specific diagnoses like Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) within modern clinical classifications.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term itself shows no significant spelling or lexical variation. Usage is equally technical and dated in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes a mid-20th century diagnostic framework. May sound old-fashioned to modern clinicians in both regions.
Frequency
Extremely low in general language; confined to specialised historical or theoretical discussions in psychology/psychiatry.
Grammar
How to Use “anxiety neurosis” in a Sentence
PATIENT suffers from anxiety neurosisCLINICIAN diagnosed [PATIENT] with anxiety neurosisTherapy treats anxiety neurosisVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anxiety neurosis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The patient was thought to be suffering from a form of anxiety neurosis.
- Early psychiatrists would often diagnose anxiety neurosis in such cases.
American English
- The case study described a veteran manifesting anxiety neurosis.
- The theory posited that repressed conflict could anxiety-neuroticize (rare) an individual.
adverb
British English
- [Not typically used as an adverb]
American English
- [Not typically used as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- His anxiety-neurosis symptoms were well-documented.
- The anxiety-neurosis diagnosis fell out of favour.
American English
- She presented with classic anxiety-neurosis features.
- An anxiety-neurosis framework informed the early treatment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical or theoretical papers on psychology/psychiatry.
Everyday
Almost never used; laypeople would say 'chronic anxiety' or 'an anxiety disorder'.
Technical
Primary context; used in clinical history, psychoanalytic literature, and discussions of diagnostic evolution.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anxiety neurosis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anxiety neurosis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anxiety neurosis”
- Using it as a synonym for everyday worry or stress.
- Spelling 'neurosis' as 'neuroses' when using the singular term (plural is 'neuroses').
- Assuming it is a current, standard diagnosis.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not a current diagnosis in standard systems like the DSM-5 or ICD-11. It has been superseded by more specific disorders like Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, and others.
'Anxiety neurosis' was a broader, older category often based on psychoanalytic theory. GAD is a more narrowly defined, contemporary diagnosis with specific criteria regarding duration, symptoms, and impairment.
It is not recommended as it sounds highly technical and dated. In everyday contexts, phrases like 'chronic anxiety' or 'an anxiety disorder' are more natural and understandable.
Sigmund Freud played a key role in defining and popularising the term in the late 19th and early 20th centuries within his early psychoanalytic work.
A psychiatric or psychological condition characterised by chronic, excessive anxiety and worry, often accompanied by physical symptoms, without a specific external cause.
Anxiety neurosis is usually technical/medical in register.
Anxiety neurosis: in British English it is pronounced /aŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti njʊəˈrəʊ.sɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.t̬i nʊˈroʊ.sɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No direct idioms; the term itself is technical]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'neurosis' as an old-school 'nervous condition', and 'anxiety' as the main flavour: Anxiety-flavoured nervous condition.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANXIETY IS A CHRONIC ILLNESS / A BURDEN (carrying the weight of anxiety neurosis).
Practice
Quiz
In modern clinical practice, the term 'anxiety neurosis' is best described as: