User:EYarde1/Coping strategies

Karen Horney was born in Germany on September 16, 1885. Karen battled depression from a young age and struggled with it throughout her lifetime. She choose to do well in school, and viewed school as the "only true thing." By doing well in school, she was able to be one of the first women to graduate from the University of Berlin, earning her medical degree. During her professional career, Karen established and became Dean of the American Institute for Psychoanalysis, taught at the New York Psychoanalytic Institue and at the New York Medical College, and founded the American Journal of Psychoanalysis. Karen also married, divorced, and raised three daughters. This all came from source 1, will cite later.

Neurotic Needs

Horney investigated these patterns of neurotic needs. Everyone needs these things, but the neurotic's need them more than the normal person. The neurotics might need these more because of difficulties within their lives. If the neurotic does not experience these needs, he or she will experience anxiety. The ten needs are: 1. The neurotic need for affection and approval, the need to please others and be liked. 2. The neurotic need for a partner who will take over one's life. The idea that love will solve all of one's problems. 3. The neurotic need to restrict one's life to narrow borders, to be undemanding, satisfied with little, to be inconspicuous. Or to simplify one's life. 4. The neurotic need for power, for control over others, for a facade of omnipotence. The neurotic is desperate for strength and dominance. 5. The neurotic need to exploit others and get the better of them. 6. The neurotic need for social recognition or prestigge. These people are concerned with apperances and popularity more so than the normal person. 7. The neurotic need for personal admiration. 8. The neurotic need for personal achievement. 9. The neurotic need for self sufficiency and independence. 10. The neurotic need for perfection and unassailability, in other words obsessed with being perfect and scared of being flawed. Note to self, this information was taken from source 2, I need to figure out how to cite this information correctly.

Coping strategies

Compliance

Also known as moving-toward and the self-effacing solution. This strategy includes neurotic needs one, two, and three. The individual moves towards those perceived as a threat to avoid retribution and getting hurt. The argument is, "If I give in, I won't get hurt." This means that: if I give everyone I see as a potential threat whatever they want, I won't be injured (physically or emotionally).

Agression

Also known as the moving-against and the expansive solution. This strategy includes needs four, five, six, seven, and eight. The individual threatens those perceived as a threat to avoid getting hurt.

Withdrawl

Also known as the moving-away-from and the resigning solution. Included in this strategy are needs three, nine, and ten. The individual distances themselves from anyone perceived as a threat to avoid getting hurt. The argument is, "If I do not let anyone close to me, I won't get hurt." A neurotic, according to Horney desires to be distant because of being abused. If they can be the extreme introvert, no one will ever develop a relationship with them. If there is no one around, nobody can hurt them. These "moving away" people fight personality, so they often come across as cold or shallow. This is their strategy. They emotionally remove themselves from society.