Neurosis and human growth

In her book Neurosis and Human Growth, Karen Horney views the neurotic process as a special form of human development – as a path that deviates from and opposes healthy growth. With extraordinary psychological sensitivity, the author describes the individual stages of this process, neurotic claims, the tyranny of inner dictates, and the typical neurotic solutions by which the individual attempts to alleviate the tension arising from conflicts. These conflicts stem from contradictions between attitudes of dominance, self-denial, dependency, or resignation and fundamentally influence the possibilities of human self-realisation.

As one of the most original figures in modern psychoanalysis, Karen Horney significantly expanded its scope to include the cultural and relational context of human life. She is the author of now classic concepts such as alienation, the idealised self-image, and self-realisation. Neurosis and Human Growth is one of her key works and offers a deep, systematic look at the forces that either support or hinder human development.