Carl Jung’s Neurotic Cure

A pathway through life

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I was always a nervous child, but my twenties have so far brought forth a side of myself that I never thought belonged to me. Excessive neurotic episodes can lead to all kinds of symptoms, some of which include a general mental fog and a sense of disconnect from reality. Which, in turn, can exaggerate the already troubled brain and make the anxiety feed off itself. Feelings of panic are, of course, unpleasant, and leave one with the uncanny feeling of disorder and a general lack of control. In turn, it is natural for an anxious person to shy away from life in order to minimize their chances of stress. To stand aside so as to not get involved with the dangers of existence.

According to Jung, anyone who refuses to experience life to its fullest is forced to smother parts of themselves, and “commit partial suicide”. The onset of anxiety disorders are not some unfortunate happenstance that only afflicts the few. Instead, these are usually the moments wherein a new psychological adjustment is demanded of you. What we need is not so much a constant return to the past, as is often required by psychotherapy, but instead a “wholehearted dedication to life” in the present moment (Carl Jung, Symbols of Transformation). Those, like myself, who suffer from a perpetual hesitation to live life fully, must get up from the passenger seat and establish a coherent direction to their existence.

Jung suggests we start by fortifying a deeper understanding of who we are and what we want to become. Instead of fighting against and denying our weaknesses, or blaming our predicament on others and our environment, self-acceptance is king. Fear and anxiety are not fatal diseases, but they do worsen overtime, and the more fervently one tries to ignore them, the more they tend to manifest. In the long run, the practice of self-acceptance is freeing, however horrifying the idea might sound today. Once we are able to fully accept our flaws, we can use that same energy to build instead of disguise.

It helps to become conscious of where our life is headed if we were to remain in our current situation. Many who are afflicted with anxiety think that if they can avoid their triggers, they can live a relatively comfortable life. In turn, they become more focused on managing the symptoms than recovering from them. Unfortunately, while avoiding triggers can feel like a small price to pay at first, our comfort zone has a way of expanding and constricting us. As Jung explained: “The neurotic who tries to wriggle out of the necessity of living wins nothing and only burdens himself with a constant foretaste of aging and dying, which must appear especially cruel on account of the total emptiness and meaninglessness of his life.”

Of course, the realization that stagnation is not an option can, ironically, lead to panic. However, it is important to remember that neurosis gives us an opportunity to discover a life path that is, in the long run, much more fulfilling than the one we have been slugging along until now. What more, recovery from a mental disorder can lead to attaining a level of psychological health not found in those who never had to endure, and overcome, such distress. Inversely, those who remain in their own form of mental hell will as a result live a life far less expansive and exciting than those who never had to suffer. In short, neurosis is only a curse if you decide not to outgrow it. And though self-acceptance is an important stepping stone to a more fulfilling life, it is only through action that one can see real results.

Leonora Carrington, Labyrinth

Which actions can one perform? It is normal for the anxious-minded among us to want a precise strategy on how to attain this promised freedom. Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, these steps depend on the person and should be found out for ourselves. The human brain has an interesting way of disbelieving anything unless it is found out for itself. What we take over from our therapist or whoever we trust will keep us infantile, like a child listening to a parent. Instead, we must learn to become the very core of what anxiety runs from: a trust in oneself. The ability to take our life in our own two hands.

That said, there is some generality when it comes to neurosis. Usually anxiety arises from one of three things: an inability to conform to societal expectations, existential crises in the form of death-anxiety or otherwise, and/or a general dread towards performing life’s daily expectations and duties.

Point one: Jung warned that one should be cautious of conformity. As long as the anxious person lives in accordance to others, and not themselves, they will remain ill because they have not yet found their personal way of living. These people are, according to Jung, “born and destined rather to be bearers of new cultural ideals. They are neurotic as long as they bow down before authority and refuse the freedom to which they are destined.”

Point two and three: Existential dread usually comes forth at night, and not by accident. The more time a person spends within the confines of their mind, the more a generalized fear of death and nothingness will gain form. One way of overcoming this idle pondering is through performing life’s “mundane” tasks, which, in the long-run, will feel fulfilling. However, to some, life’s expectations are the very root of their anxiety. Their duties feel like heavy bricks in an otherwise weightless and meaningless existence. Recovery, in this circumstance, is simply a matter of facing up to life’s responsibilities, one at a time. We must find a way to transition from our inner world of intrusive thoughts, to the external world of people and commitments. After some time, we’ll find that the tasks we have been putting off for so long weren’t as bad as we previously expected, and instead give us a deeper sense of accomplishment once completed.

Unfortunately, many never heed the call to change. They (though I should say we) maintain that one cannot change without first overcoming their symptoms. Contrarily, Jung deems that our symptoms are there primarily because we have shrunk back from life, and fear it rather than live through it. In this way, recovery can only become a reality if we move into the present, and do so without fear of judgement. Only boldness can rid one of fear.

All things considered, try this thought experiment, formulated by Alfred Adler, Jung’s colleague: imagine yourself free of anxiety and fear of judgement. What would you become? What would you make of yourself? These ideals can, and should, begin to act as a guide to the direction you wish your life to take.