Neurotic Trends in Lana Del Rey Selected Song Lyrics: A Psychoanalytic Social Approach

<p>Neuroticism is an automatic, unconscious effort to manage deep anxiety, they interfere with everyone's personal, professional, and romantic lives. A person experiences neurotic anxiety because of feeling like they are losing control over themselves, and their lives, or when their ego is threatened. This anxiety causes individuals to become "neurotic”. Lana Del Rey’s selected song lyrics share a philosophical significance with Horney's neurotic concept. In their defenses against basic anxiety, neuroses adopt one of three fundamental styles of relating to others: (1) moving toward people, (2) moving against people, and (3) moving away from people. The objective of this research is to identify the neurotic tendencies portrayed by the speaker in “Born to Die”, “Blue Jeans”, and “13 Beaches” song lyrics. This research is conducted under the scope of Psychoanalytic social theory, using the approach of Karen Horney. This research uses qualitative research with a content analysis method to identify the real purpose of the speaker's attitude as presented in the lyrics. The researcher reveals that the lyrics depict a complex of strategies of relating to others in an unproductive manner and compulsive behavior that creates an unavoidable intrapsychic conflict. The finding shows that the neurotic tendency of moving toward others is recurrently portrayed by the speaker. The researcher concludes that people desperately seek love or a companion who can provide affection and stability.</p>