People are very different – some seem to easily overcome all obstacles and walk boldly through life, while others are overwhelmed by stress, feel nervous and suffer from anxiety. Surely you have met such a person who is constantly struggling with fear and tension seems to be an integral part of his life. Or perhaps you yourself are struggling with just such ailments? In either case, it is possible that you are dealing with a personality in which neurotic traits are present.
In psychology, such people are referred to as neurotics. Each of us is different, and we differ not only in appearance, but also in our characters. These, in turn, are responsible for how we behave in many situations. But who is really a person with a neurotic personality trait? What sets her apart from others and what does she struggle with every day? What should you be prepared for when dealing with a neurotic ? Learn more about who is a neurotic and how does he or she function?
Neurotic – who exactly is he or she?
You may have encountered the word neurotic before, but you don’t quite know what’s behind it. In psychology, neurotic and the definition of the word refer to the so-called “Big Five,” or five-factor model of personality. It was created by Paul Costa and Robert McCrae. It encompasses different aspects of human characters and assumes that each of them consists of five different factors: agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, extroversion and just neuroticism. In the case of a neurotic personality, it is this that becomes dominant and determines much of a person’s behavior and reactions to various situations. People with high levels of neuroticism often tend to:
- experiencing strong negative emotions, such as anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt or irritation. Difficult to achieve emotional balance,
- being more prone to stress and difficulty coping with it,
- being prone to experiencing worry, anxiety, and frequent mood changes,
- avoidant or protectivebehaviors, even when not objectively justified.=,
- less resilience to stressful life situations and events.
Neurotic personality. Neuroticism
Neurotic personality is expressed, among other things, by emotional instability and increased susceptibility to stress in a person. A person who is distinguished by this, tends to change moods frequently and fall into anxious states. As you can see, this is a problem that focuses primarily on the issue of nerves, coping, responding to pressure and experiencing anxiety. Indeed, people described as neurotics cope less well than other personality types identified in the “Big Five” by its authors. So this means frequent worrying, over-thinking what the future will bring, and overly emotional reactions to many events.
Neuroticism. Neurotic traits
Neurotic traits are ascertained with the participation of specialists and with the help of appropriate procedural processes. These include, first and foremost, the KON-2006 Neurotic Personality Questionnaire. Its use consists in using it as a psychometric tool. It makes it possible to diagnose, among other things, personality dysfunctions. Such a questionnaire can also be used, among other things, to describe neurotic disorders or to assess changes that occur during treatment or therapy.
What are the characteristics of neurotic traits
The most important neurotic traits are primarily:
- timidity – neurotics often experience high levels of fear, anxiety and worry. They may be more susceptible to stressful situations and tend to overestimate risks.
- exaggerated worrying – what neurotics are primarily known for is excessive worrying about everything. They experience bad emotions too much and focus on them constantly. This also means that they see reality in dark colors and often add a negative context to various situations that does not actually exist.
- emotional instability – what primarily distinguishes neurotics is their lack of stability in the emotional sphere. One moment they can be happy, and the next moment they are killed by all the evils of this world and see no prospects for the future. Such rapid changes are exhausting for both them and those around them.
- low or no resistance to stress – stressful situations are something that the neurotic simply can’t cope with. This makes sometimes small problems grow in his eyes into an insurmountable obstacle.
- tendency to withdraw or avoid – in response to stressful situations or conflicts, neurotic people may be more inclined to withdraw or avoid problems rather than take active steps to solve them
- propensity for neurosis, depression, anxiety – it is often the case that the daily life of neurotic people is defined by such ailments as depressive states, neurosis, phobias or anxiety disorders. These impede proper functioning and can lead to even more dangerous disorders.
As you can see, the characteristics of neurotics show how difficult everyday life is for them. A person trying to satisfy his own perfectionism, constantly experiencing strong negative emotions – becomes vulnerable and susceptible to all sorts of disorders, which can eventually lead him even to self-aggression. The inability to meet his own expectations makes such a person unable to feel satisfaction or pleasure from a job well done. Instead, he endlessly analyzes every mistake he made and focuses on what he failed to do. As exhausting as it is to ponder one’s own mistakes, insecure emotional states are just as exhausting. This is because the neurotic does not experience stability in this aspect. His mood changes frequently and he can go from despair to anger very quickly. Naturally, his experiences are dominated by negative emotions, which is overwhelming for him.
An example of this behavior can be the situation at work, for example. While performing your duties, you act confidently and flawlessly, until one day a minor mistake happens to you. If you have a neurotic personality, previous correctly performed tasks become invalidated in your mind and you focus only on this one mistake, which grows almost to be the end of the world.
Causes of neuroticism
The causes are believed to lie, among other things, in the structure of the nervous system. In the simplest terms, this means, for example, increased reactivity of the limbic and sympathetic nervous systems. People who struggle with neuroticism are also characterized by a less orderly way of thinking. Their minds are more agitated and they experience many more changes than a person whose neurotic traits are not dominant.
However, it should not be forgotten that neurotic behaviors are also unhealthy patterns that we acquire by observing them in others. So they can, for example, be the result of growing up in a toxic environment, in which the child takes over destructive mechanisms from parents, for example. In the case of children and teenagers, psychology mentions negative emotionality. In later stages of life, it can begin to develop into neurotic traits. In turn, the level of neuroticism itself is not uniform in the course of human life and can change. It is influenced, for example, by the expression of certain genes or the social roles assumed. With age, the influence of the environment on the level of neurosis experienced by a person also increases. Different types of events can stimulate a particular temperamental trait.
The tendency toward neuroticism also varies by geographic location. The people of Poland, for example, are said to be the most likely population to struggle with these traits among all European countries where a study of the matter took place. There are also differences on both coasts of the United States or the United Kingdom.
Thus, there are three types of causes by which a person is born neurotic or becomes one:
- mental,
- biological,
- social.
Thus, some people are born with a certain propensity for such traits, while others acquire them, for example, due to traumatic experiences in their lives. The social factor includes the relationships a person knows from the family home or school. Biological and psychological are the innate tendency to the traits in question, which is beyond one’s control.
Advantages of neuroticism
It may seem that life with a neurotic personality is an endless barrage of difficulties, pain and struggles. Meanwhile, it is worth leaning into such an issue as the advantages of a neurotic. After all, this type of personality is not made up of flaws alone. You can also turn them into your strengths. For example, the tendency to overanalyze situations and to see the future in black colors use to anticipate problems and to prevent them in advance. Noteworthy is the great sensitivity of neurotics – they recognize the suffering of others and empathize with it. Compassion and sensitivity to the problems of others can certainly be described as their advantage. There are also cases in which such a person strives for perfectionism. If he directs his inclinations properly or devotes a lot of work to them with a therapist, for example, he can turn this into conscientious and solid performance of his duties.
A few of the most important qualities are:
- Emotional sensitivity. Neurotic people may be more sensitive to the emotions of others and to subtle changes in the environment. This sensitivity can make them more empathetic and able to understand the needs of others.
- Risk awareness. Although neurotic people may be more likely to feel anxious and fearful, their awareness of risk can help them make careful decisions and avoid situations that may lead to danger or harm
- Motivation to change. Negative emotions, such as fear or anxiety, can be a strong impetus to seek change and improve one’s life situation. Neurotic people may be motivated to work on themselves and make an effort to cope with stress and difficulties.
- Willingness to reflect. Neurotics often tend to reflect more deeply on their own emotions, thoughts and life experiences. This introspection can lead to a better understanding of oneself and one’s own needs, and to personal growth.
- Creativity. Some research suggests that neuroticism may be linked to greater creativity. Individuals with high levels of neuroticism may have a rich emotional life that can provide them with inspiration for creative activities and finding new solutions.
A neurotic in a relationship – what should you be prepared for?
Neurotic personalitytraits can therefore be an obstacle for you or your loved ones to lead a satisfying life. The same is true in the case of relationships, such as romantic relationships. A neurotic in a relationship is a person who is characterized by great sensitivity, but who also lacks the will to fight. In the case of arguments or problems, he will withdraw from the conflict rather than begin to take an active part in it. So keep in mind that a neurotic may not enter into a competition for you or a relationship endeavor, but rather will let go if he is hurt. Sometimes he will not take any action for fear that the action will end badly for him. A relationship with a neurotic personality is therefore not easy. On the other hand, the great sensitivity of such people is their advantage. They will also be very shy and withdrawn, as well as delicate. This means that in a relationship with another person they are unlikely to take the initiative, but they will reciprocate with empathy.
Many people also wonder whether a neurotic can be happy. People with this type of personality experience a lot of stress and anxiety, which significantly contributes to a decrease in their comfort and satisfaction with life. Being with them, one should also be prepared for the fact that their mood can change in an instant and go from happy to full of anxiety and despair in an instant. However, despite this, such people can feel joy and happiness, and with enough effort and work on themselves (for example, in a therapist’s office) can achieve stability and enjoyment in their lives.
How to stop being neurotic?
In view of how many problems neurotic people face, and which you or someone close to you may be experiencing, you may be asking yourself how to stop being neurotic. Is it even possible to change something that is part of the personality? Has a treatment been developed that can make life more comfortable for those struggling with such ailments? This is an important question, especially since many neurotic traits can simply make your life less comfortable. However, it is necessary to remember that neuroticism in itself is not a disease or ailment. It is a trait of personality, or who you are. Therefore, you cannot traditionally be cured of it. Knowing what a neurotic is, you can try to mitigate the effects of such personality traits or learn to cope with them every day.
Therapy vs. neuroticism
Many aspects of neuroticism can make you more vulnerable to ailments such as depression or neurosis.
In therapy, you gain a chance to get your perfectionism under control or silence your inner critic. Perhaps, in time, he will also learn to act under stress and fight for things and plans that are important to him. An important premise is to improve self-esteem in a person who struggles daily with the neurotic traits of his personality. In this way, she can begin to function better at work or in relationships with other people, such as romantic relationships.
Therapy may be the right choice when neuroticism :
- leads to significant psychological suffering: If neuroticism causes significant emotional discomfort, difficulties in daily functioning, problems in interpersonal relationships or other difficulties in life, therapy can help you find ways to cope with these problems.
- interferes with achieving life goals: People with high levels of neuroticism may have difficulty achieving their goals, both personally and professionally. Therapy can help identify the barriers and thought patterns that get in the way of achieving goals and develop adaptive strategies.
- leads to health problems: High levels of neuroticism may be associated with a higher risk of health problems, both mental and physical. Therapy can help manage the stress that can contribute to these problems.
- makes interpersonal relationships more difficult: People with high levels of neuroticism may have difficulty maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships with other people. Therapy can help them develop communication skills, deal with emotions and conflict, and build satisfying relationships.
- contributes to problems at work or school: Neuroticism can affect professional and school performance and overall effectiveness at work or school. Therapy can help you cope with the stress of professional or educational challenges and develop stress management skills.
Online psychotherapy will help you deal with many harmful mechanisms in your life. If, in addition to this, you also suffer from ailments such as depression, then don’t hesitate to see a psychiatrist to help you feel better. Excessive sensitivity or anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s worth seeing if perhaps the solution to your problems isn’t closer than you think.
How to deal with neuroticism?
There are strategies that can help an individual cope with the negative aspects of neuroticism and improve his quality of life. Here are some suggestions:
- Recognize your emotions. Being aware of your emotions and reactions is crucial. Learning to recognize your feelings can help you understand what triggers them and how you react to them.
- Practice stress management techniques. Find stress management techniques that work for you. These can include relaxation methods such as meditation, Jacobson relaxation, deep breathing or yoga.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity, a healthy diet and adequate sleep can help maintain your mental well-being.
- Take care of your interpersonal relationships. Building and maintaining healthy relationships with other people can help reduce feelings of isolation and increase feelings of support.
- Work on self-acceptance and positive thinking. Recognize yourself as a person of value and accept your weaknesses and imperfections. Practice positive thinking and try to focus on the positive aspects of life.
- Find therapeutic support. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or cognitive therapy can be an effective form of help for people with high levels of neuroticism. A psychologist can help identify negative thinking and behavioral patterns and develop coping strategies.
- Practice social skills. Developing communication and interpersonal skills can help manage stress and improve relationships with others.
It is also important to remember that gradual change takes time and patience. Working on yourself and striving for improvement can be a gradual process, but it can yield positive results for your well-being and quality of life.
Bibliography:
https://www.psychiatriapolska.pl/KON-2006-Neurotic-personality-questionnaire,154148,0,2.html