Collective neurosis

Neurosis is a common term often used in our daily lives. This is due to the pioneers of psychology: Freud, Jung and Adler, who introduced us to the psychology of neurosis. Though it's a commonly used word, its actual meaning is somewhat complex. So, let me provide a simple definition. Since adaptation to life is critical, anyone who doesn't adapt to life usually experiences a neurosis.

The behaviors and psychological expressions of a neurosis vary, so much so, that it is almost impossible to provide a simple example; nonetheless, let me try.

Consider a middle-aged man who doesn't have a checking account, has trouble maintaining work, struggles with relationships and believes that his daily routine must remain fixed and rigid to avoid distress. His behaviors and psychological perspectives are expressions of his neurosis.

We could simply say that maturity, or lack of maturity, is associated with neurotic behavior. That would be appropriate, since maturity often develops when we adapt to life. When that doesn't occur, we often hear people making excuses for their difficulties. However, these excuses are frequently due to their lack of adaptation or maturity.

Aside from individual adaptation, there also is collective adaptation that can lead to neurosis. Remember that collectives are groups, cultures or entire societies. It might seem strange to say that collectives have psychological characteristics but each collective, like individuals, do express a psychology.

Since collectives don't necessarily progress through a short span of years like an individual, we must look at a larger number of years for collective adaptation. For example, the U.S., as a collective, is over 200 years old and still adapting to its origins.

Since collectives are made up of people, we can imagine that people who are neurotic, or worse, influence collectives. Since each collective develops and adapts to life as a result of the influences from the smaller groups within it, it's a little more complicated.

For example, consider how each state within the U.S. influences our overall society. So, adaptation for collectives involves the psychology of smaller groups within it but remember that the smaller groups are made up of individuals; therefore, in order to avoid a social neurosis, both small group and individual adaptations are a must.

Neuroses introduce difficulties in life at an individual and collective level. Helping one person overcome a neurosis takes time; helping a collective, like a society, overcome a neurosis takes even longer. It's important, therefore, to start sooner than later to enhance the quality of life for everyone.