Karen Horney and Character Disorder

Excerpts from Karen Horney and Character Disorder by Irving Solomon:

"Karen Horney's (1950) theory of neurosis, really character disorders, recognizes the influence of culture while viewing neurosis as a constellation of defenses designed to deal with basic anxiety. She concentrates on character structure rather than early childhood psychosexual experiences. Neurosis for Horney is essentially a character disorder, a way of life in which the patient is compulsively driven by conflicting "shoulds," claims, idealized images, alienation from the self and implicit and/or explicit self-hate" (pg. 109).

"Horney (1950) presents three major character structures or trends and their accompanying solutions . . .

Moving toward people and the solution of compliance and self-effacement.
Moving against people and the solution of aggression and expansiveness.
Moving away from people and the solution of detachment or freedom.

"In my clinical experience, seldom does a patient display exclusively one solution; rather most patients indicate a mixture of all major trends" (pg. 110).

"The idealized self is a compensation for feelings of weakness and inadequacy. The consequences flowing from the idealized self are either a conviction of arrogance and omnipotence or a despised, self-hating self. There is usually a compulsive striving to actualize the idealized self, called by Horney (1950) the search for glory. Every pursuit of glory has its own constellation of solutions, prides, claims, and "shoulds" (pg. 110).

"Once pride is detected in any one sector, Horney (1950) suggests that the therapist look for the connections pride has to many facets in a character disorder's make up . . .

"The therapist needs to become aware of all the prides of a patient. The patient will fight "tooth and nail" to preserve any character trait that is invested with pride. He may feel that his pride plus his trait gives him an edge, be it the smug belief in his superior intelligence or intuition, his virtue or assertiveness" (pg. 102).

"Horney (1950, pg. 129) concludes that all the circumstances of pride are the natural consequences of the pursuit of glory. The idealized self sets up unrealizable standards of performance in the shape of "shoulds" and demanding, assertive prideful claims. Self-hate then inevitably mingles with injured pride" (pg. 105).

Karen Horney: Intrapsychic Strategies of Defense

Karen Horney (1950). Neurosis and Human Growth. New York: W. W. Norton.

Irving Solomon (2006). Karen Horney and Character Disorder: A Guide for the Modern Practitioner. New York: Springer.

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