Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-12
Dwellers in Neurotica

Since used the phrase "Dwellers in
Neurotica" and described a few Of its
Inhabitants have had procession OF
inquiries from those who suspect and
those who fear and those who know
they belong there, and all want to
know the way out. The phrase is not
mine, but is to be credited to Mrs.
Wembridge, who has written most in
terestingly and sympathetically on the
subject.
Everybody knows people with nerves
and people who get on your nerves,
Are we, then, q nervous people, or Is
this nervous age, or have we become
nerve-conScious? A modified affirma-
tive Is the proper answer to all three
unpleasant queries. There Is enough
strain In modern life to bring out what
nervous tendencies we have. Push and
hustle and jazz and late hours and
fierce competition and constant excite
ment and no let-up and an intensity
Of emotional life burn not the candle,
but the nerve-cell, at both ends, and it
results In irritable and exhausted nerves.
The nervous people are those who
can't stand the pace. But one must
not exaggerate the effect Of the way
Of living.
Most dweliers in Neurotica are born
with tendency to travel in the direc-
ton Of that unenviable land. They
have q harder problem than the rest
OF us to live normal lives. That they
can do 1t, and admirably, Is shown by
q Thousand instances that are never
heard Of. We hear of the breakdowns,
not Of those who weathered the storm
and stood up. Nervous people live more
richly and abundantly; the world owes
much to. them.
A marked emotional susceptibility is
the chief trait of what for convenience
we call nerves. But from the start 1t
divides into two types, that, though they
have much In common. are more dis
which they are known are not very
fitting, but we must accept them. The
first Is hysteria, an overintensity OF
emotional response, which Is so natural
to childhood that distinguished neu-
rologist has said that all children are
hysterical: that, indeed. the human race
Is by nature hysterical, and that the
process of civilization Is to reduce the
natural hysteria, so that we may be
calm enough tO 20 about our business.
Hysteria Is getting too excited. and un-
wholesomely excited. about this COM
pick business Of living. Note. then, that
hysteria is source Of energy-not the
best source, but 1t sustains excitement.
We keep up on our nerves. What else
1t involves we shall learn later.
People with hysterical temperament
tend to expend their energy in accord
with the excitable pattern. We know
that, in general, women are more hys-
terical than men, and the false name
that we retain for the tendency is the
result Of that recognition. Some writers
do not hesitate to say that four out Of
five Of all women have touch of hys-
terra. That's the road along which they
tend to travel; and If they 60 far
enough they approach or enter the land
Of Neurotica. But there Is plenty of
masculine hysteria, though It tends to
assume somewhat different form. The
sex differences are important.
The other great province OF Neuro-
tica Is called neurasthenia. and that
means so, neutral matter IS nerve
weakness. It Is not q source Of energy.
but weakener Of energy. Carried far
enough 1t becomes nervous prostration.
Violent outbreaks of whatever sort are
hysterical; the shrinkings, hesitations.
shynesses, handieaps, incapacities, in-
feriorities are reurasthenic. It is OBJ
vious at once that there IL positive
and negative contrast, and It appears