The Pattern of Neurotic Illness in the Elderly

Abstract

Age presents many psychiatric problems. Among them is that of neurotic illness. This paper describes a study of various aspects of neurotic illness in the elderly. Since it would be unwise to assume that conditions governing neurosis in adult life pertain in the geriatric age group, an attempt has been made to reduce prior assumptions about the condition to a minimum. Age and brain damage were not associated with neuroticism. Minor differences were found between affective neurotics and other neurotics, and affective neurosis was associated with hospitalization, unlike the other neuroses of old age.