ノイローゼ

• Reading: ノイローゼ
• Romaji: noirooze
• Pronunciation: /no.i.ɾoː.ze/

Meaning

Neurosis; nervous breakdown; mental distress. A state of being mentally overwhelmed or obsessed.

A noun borrowed from German Neurose (neurosis), used colloquially in Japanese to describe being mentally overwhelmed, stressed to a breaking point, or obsessively worried about something. While not a precise clinical term in modern usage, it remains very common in everyday speech. Often used hyperbolically: 育児ノイローゼ (parenting burnout) and 受験ノイローゼ (exam stress).

Examples

1. 毎日の残業で彼はノイローゼ気味だ。 The daily overtime is starting to push him to the edge.
2. 育児ノイローゼにならないよう周りのサポートが大切だ。 Support from those around you is important to prevent parenting burnout.
3. 騒音がひどくてノイローゼになりそうだ。 The noise is so bad it's driving me crazy.

Usage Guide

Context: mental health, daily life, stress

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From German Neurose (neurosis), borrowed into Japanese during the Meiji/Taishō era when Western medical terminology was widely adopted. The German pronunciation was adapted to Japanese phonology.

Cultural Context

Era: Taishō/Shōwa

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal