neurotic

The neurotic treats the symptom of his or her troubles, but always in a largely erroneous way. For instance, a girl stuffs her face with food after a flashback of childhood sexual abuse, or a man impulsively washes his hands after thinking about another woman.

The sickness remains indefinable, intangible, and unspecified; it is purely a persistent feeling of disquiet. Accordingly, the neurotic is in a condition of constantly tending to the symptoms of an unknown, and worse, unknowable malady.

Neu*rot"ic (?), a. [Gr. nerve.]

1.

Of or pertaining to the nerves; seated in the nerves; nervous; as, a neurotic disease.

2.

Uself in disorders of, or affecting, the nerves.

© Webster 1913.

Neu*rot"ic, n.

1.

A disease seated in the nerves.

2. Med.

Any toxic agent whose action is mainly directed to the great nerve centers.

⇒ Neurotic as a class include all those poisons whose mains action is upon the brain and spinal cord. They may be divided three orders: (a) Cerebral neurotics, or those which affect the brain only. (b) Spinal neurotics, or tetanics, those which affect the spinal cord. (c) Cerebro-spinal neurotics, or those which affect both brain and spinal cord.

© Webster 1913.