neurosis

/nʊˈroʊsɪs/
noun
  1. A mental condition that causes a person to have strong, unreasonable fears or worries, often about things that are not actually dangerous.
    • The therapist helped him understand that his constant need for approval was part of a mild neurosis.
    • Many people develop a small neurosis about checking the stove before leaving the house.
    • Her neurosis about germs made it hard for her to shake hands with anyone.
  2. In informal use, a tendency to be overly anxious, worried, or obsessive about something.
    • Her neurosis about her grades caused her to study for hours every night.
    • He has a neurosis about being late, so he always arrives twenty minutes early.
    • My mother's cleaning neurosis means every surface in the house is spotless.
Antonyms
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