Personality and Obsessional Neurosis

Abstract

It is generally accepted that the obsessional personality (obsessoid, anal-erotic character) is the premorbid personality most frequently associated with obsessional neurosis. Freud (1908) described the triad of traits of orderliness, parsimoniousness and obstinacy which characterizes this personality. He considered that these traits were due to reaction formation against and sublimation of anal-erotic activities and aggressive impulses into socially acceptable forms of behaviour. According to this view the anal-erotic character and obsessional neurosis share a common developmental basis—the neurosis represents a failure of repression, the regression to the anal-sadistic level of libidinal organization and the use of defences against excessive hostility.