Obsessive-Compulsive Neurotic Style in Outline Form

This theoretical outline of the Obsessive-Compulsive neurotic style is based on the 8 features of Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder and on John M. Oldham's and Lois B. Morris' "normalizing" of them in The New Personality Self-Portrait.

The dynamic relationships between the neurotic needs, compulsive behaviors, idealized image, imagined attributes, tyrannical shoulds, and neurotic claims of the neurotic personality are represented in an outline account of the personality theory being contemplated here.

The crux of character neuroisis is that pride turns our compulsive behaviors into virtues.

Actually, that's not true. I have to go back to the Stoic theory of pathology which I set aside when took up Cooper's Nieburian-Horneyan thesis in the spring of 2005. The crux of character neurosis is the valuation of the things which we are calling neurotic needs as good, and the valuation of the things which we are saying the neurotic needs to avoid as bad. These false evaluations, or judgments, of the things we prefer and disprefer are the basis of psychopatholgy.

Neurotic Needs: Need to be more or less continuously engaged in intensely focused, detailed activity. Need to be productive. Need to keep busy. Needs to work. Needs the challenge of working toward perfection. Needs to be busy with projects and activities. Need to try hard at everything they do. Needs to achieve and accomplish things.

Compulsive Behaviors: Is excessively devoted to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships (not accounted for by obvious economic necessity).

Idealized Image: Hard work. Dedicated to work, works very hard, capable of intense, single-minded effort.

Imagined Attributes: Industry, diligence, hard work, productivity, accomplishment, achievement, purposefulness.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should be dedicated to work. Should work very hard. Should be capable of intense, single-minded effort. Should achieve.

Neurotic Claims: Expects above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty thoroughness, devotion, and accomplishment from others.

Neurotic Needs: Need for righteousness and justification. The need for certainty. The need for moral perfection. Need to be good. Need to be perfect. Needs to always do the right thing.

Compulsive Behaviors: Is overconscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values (not accounted for by cultural or religious identification).

Idealized Image: The right thing. Person of conscience. Strong moral principles and values. Opinions or beliefs on any subject rarely held lightly. Want to do the right thing.

Imagined Attributes: Scrupulousness, conscientiousness, dutifulness, responsibility, idealism, highmindedness.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should be a person of conscience. Should have strong moral principles and values. Should never hold opinions and beliefs on any subject lightly. Should always do the right thing.

Neurotic Claims: Expect moral perfection in others.

Neurotic Needs: Need for control. Need to be responsible for everything. Need for things to be done right. Need to do things perfectly. Needs to do things the right way. Needs others to do things his or her way. Needs interpersonal control.

Compulsive Behaviors: Is reluctant to delegate tasks or to work with others unless they submit to exactly his or her way or doing things.

Idealized Image: The right way. Everything must be done "right." Has a clear understanding of what that means.

Imagined Attributes: Deliberateness, judiciousness, rationality, logicalness, sensibility, correctness, responsibility, preciseness, accurateness.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should do everything right. Should have a clear understanding of what it means to do everything right. Should always do things the right way. Should take responsibility for how things are done.

Neurotic Claims: Expect others to do everything the "right" way. Expect others to do things their way.

Neurotic Needs: Need to be perfect. Need for perfection. Need for others to be perfect. Need for the world and life to be perfect. Needs all tasks and projects to be complete to the final detail, without even minor flaws.

Compulsive Behaviors: Shows perfectionism that interferes with task completion (e.g., is unable to complete a project because his or her own overly strict standards are not met).

Idealized Image: Perfectionism. Like all tasks and projects to be complete to the final detail, without even minor flaws.

Imagined Attributes: Having high standards, striving for perfection, trying to be complete, perfect, radicalness, persistence, thoroughness, thoroughgoing.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should complete all tasks and projects to the final detail, without even minor flaws.

Neurotic Claims: Expect others, the world, and life to be perfect.

Neurotic Needs: The need to be right. The need to stick to their convictions and opinions. The need for certainty. Need to maintain a fixed line of thought. Need for dogma.

Compulsive Behaviors: Shows rigidity and stubbornness.

Idealized Image: Perseverance. Stick to their convictions and opinions. Opposition strengthens dogged determination.

Imagined Attributes: Perseverance, tenacity, steadiness, firmness, persistence.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should stick to their convictions and opinions. Opposition should only serve to strengthen their determination.

Neurotic Claims: Expect others to go along with their thinking, to follow their lead.

Neurotic Needs: The need for order and control. Needs to be organized. Needs systems. Needs a sense of control, a sense that one is in control of one's destiny. Needs to bring order to chaos.

Compulsive Behaviors: Is preoccupied with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost.

Idealized Image: Order and detail. Like appearance of orderliness and tidiness. Good organizers, catalogers, and list makers. NO detail too small for consideration.

Imagined Attributes: Orderliness, tidiness, cleanliness, meticulousness, organization.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should maintain the appearance of orderliness and tidiness. Should be good organizers, catalogers and list makers. Should be meticulous. No detail should be too small for consideration.

Neurotic Claims: Expect to be able to control life.

Neurotic Needs: The need to be self-controlled. The need to be careful and cautious. The need to suppress impulse and wish. Needs to be thrifty careful and cautious in all areas of their lives. Need to save money. Needs mental control.

Compulsive Behaviors: Adopts a miserly spending style toward both self and others; money is viewed as something to be hoarded for future catastrophes.

Idealized Image: Prudence. Thrifty, careful, and cautious in all areas of lives. Do not give in to reckless abandon or wild excess.

Imagined Attributes: Prudence, self-control, self-restraint, carefulness, cautiousness, discipline.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should be thrifty, careful and cautious in all areas of their lives. Should not give in to reckless abandon or wild excess. Should be controlled and disciplined.

Neurotic Claims: Expect to be able to control their impulses, wishes, and emotions.

Neurotic Needs: The need for control and security. The need to be prepared for the worst. Needs to save everything and anything. Need to be prepared for the future. Need to provide for the future. Need to know the good and evil that will befall them.

Compulsive Behaviors: Is unable to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value.

Idealized Image: Accumulation, Saves and collects things, reluctant to discard anything that has, formerly had, or someday may have value.

Imagined Attributes: Frugality, thriftiness, saving, conserving, preparedness, providence, foresight.

Tyrannical Shoulds: Should save and collect things. Should discard nothing that has, formerly had, or some day may have value for them.

Neurotic Claims: Expect to be able to be prepared for the future, to provide for future needs, to know the good and evil that will befall them, to be able to control their destiny.

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