Neurosis and human growth

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• kfnn · Dec 21, 2015 · Recommends

  Karen Horney - Neurosis and Human Growth The book attempts to describe the complete process of neurotic personality development: how and why it starts, how it affects a person's behavior and life choices. It's full of references to real-life…

  on “Ask HN: What book that you read in 2015 significantly affected how you think?” ↗
• vijucat · Nov 13, 2013 · Recommends

  Just start reading from "Let us consider another demand : I should always be understanding, sympathetic, and helpful": http://www.scribd.com/doc/34058295/Karen-Horney-Neurosis-and... Karen Horney, "Neurosis and Human Growth : The Struggle Towards Self-Realization". If I was asked to recommend a single book to read, I would recommend this. My 2nd would probably be a Jiddu Krishnamurthi book.

  on “Ask HN: book suggestions in non-tech fields (e.g. psychology, philosophy…)” ↗
• honzzz · May 13, 2019 · Recommends

  Yes. And if I may continue with another old book that IMHO deserves to be mentioned: Neurosis and Human Growth by Karen Horney.

  on “Ask HN: Which books teach mental models?” ↗
• rumblerock · Jul 26, 2023 · Recommends

  …component. Self therapy, although I could probably use an actual therapist as well. Between developmental theories of ADHD, complex PTSD, and even going back to old foundational texts (Karen Horney's Neurosis and Human Growth from 1950 was great) – I've found a lot of alignment on the theories of childhood abuse and neglect that lead to developmental disorders, in my case ADHD and depression. As a child you have no basis…

  on “How too much daydreaming affected me” ↗
• yamrzou · Jul 22, 2022 · Mentions

  …two months, I read 1) Perfectionism: A Relational Approach to Conceptualization, Assessment, and Treatment by Gordon Flett, Paul L. Hewitt, and Samuel F. Mikail, 2) Bad Science by Ben Goldacre, and 3) Neurosis and Human Growth by Karen Horney.

  on “Ask HN: Which book are you reading, since when?” ↗
• honzzz · Jul 2, 2019 · Mentions

  Neurosis and human growth by Karen Horney Neverending story by Michael Ende It is interesting to read these two together - they are basically the same book, just expressed differently.

  on “Ask HN: Recommend one book I need to read this summer?” ↗
• yamrzou · Jul 17, 2022 · Mentions

  In her book “Neurosis and Human Growth: The Struggle Toward Self-Realization”, Karen Horney talks about breaking negative vicious cycles by slowly creating positive ones. In this case by lessening the standards of absolute perfection. Quoting…

  on “A systems model of anxiety-driven procrastination” ↗
• ephemeral_light · Aug 12, 2025 · Mentions

  …ourselves. Having some standards to live up to is probably healthy, although, if the standards are too high or unrealistic, then neuroses will follow. For context, I'm drawing a lot on Karen Horney's ideas in _Neurosis and Human Growth_. If this diagnosis makes resonates, then the solution is to diminish the role one's idealized self plays in one's thoughts and actions, which diminishment probably involves a lot of mindfulness and also…

  on “Ask HN: Why Is My Happiness Tied to My Productivity?” ↗
• embeng4096 · Aug 19, 2026 · Mentions

  re: the sociodynamic portion Karen Horney (20th-century German psychoanalyst) in her book "Neurosis and Human Growth" talks quite a bit about this failure mode. The relevant bit I want to share is her talking about how a person may be in a state of neurosis due to not feeling like they are living up to their idealized…

  on “Activation Energy is a good model for a lot of things” ↗