My aunt used to say, “Get a minor illness and nurse it until you die. It’ll give you something real to worry about”. She knew stuff.
Researchers have learned that, for some people, being neurotic creates a vigilance that serves as a protective factor against disease and reduces the chances of dying early.
Neurosis and neurotic are outdated diagnoses that haven’t been made since 1980. The terms generally refer to those who are abnormally sensitive, obsessive, tense or who experience anxious, chronic distress. Sounds about right, doesn’t it, Woody Allen?
It was agreed that, overall, while being neurotic was responsible for increases in death, this wasn’t true for all people.
Even though you won’t die early from being neurotic, the misery index of daily life is certain to be high. There seems to be such a thing as a healthy neurotic, but certainly not a happy one.
Claudia
Join me on Facebook at Dr. Claudia McCulloch.
At DrClaudia.net, click on the "Ask Me" button and send me a question.
Sign up for the Sunday newsletter. Don't miss a thing!