Introduction:
Although neuroticism has been described somewhat differently by many psychologists, at its heart, it indicates a propensity for unfavorable feelings. The word is derived from the term "neurosis," which was originally used to describe a type of chronic mental disorder.
An essential
personality feature known as neuroticism is characterized by emotional
instability, impatience, anxiety, self-doubt, sadness, and other unfavorable
emotions. Similar to other personality qualities, neuroticism is a continuum,
meaning that individuals might fall on either end of the spectrum or be
somewhere in the middle.
Personality
tests can be used to gauge a person's neuroticism level by asking them to rate
how much they:
Worry about things; are quickly upset; have regular mood changes; are easily annoyed, and frequently feel depressed.
Typical
Neurotic Behaviors
How can you
figure out which end of the neuroticism spectrum you're on? The following
traits are frequently present in those who fall into the higher end:
• A general
propensity for negative emotions
• Anxiety or
irritability
• Poor
emotional stability
• Self-doubt
•
Self-consciousness or shyness
• Moodiness,
sadness, or depression
• Easily
upset or stressed; unable to handle stress well
• Dramatic
changes in feelings
• Lack of
resilience or difficulty recovering from adversity
• Chronic
worrying about a variety of things
• Propensity
to perceive neutral situations as threatening
Inability to regulate urges or emotions at the moment; a propensity for envy or jealousy of others' possessions; annoyance or rage at commonplace events; and feelings of anxiety or guilt about trivial matters.
How
Neuroticism Affects Relationships
Relationships with others might suffer from neuroticism. Several of the ways that this personality feature may impact how you interact with the people in your life are listed below.
Greater Level
of Anger
Neurotic individuals can occasionally be thought of as bothersome. For instance, a person with neurotic tendencies could irritate those around them by:
• Being
judgmental of others
• Being
unduly reliant on others or asking for assistance rather than working things
out on their own
•
Complaining frequently
• Constantly
seeking assurance
Making minor problems appear to be larger than they actually are
Types
Neurosis
comes in a variety of forms. Here are some illustrations.
• Anxious
neurosis: This type of neurosis is characterized by extreme anxiety and
worry panic episodes and physical signs including tremors and sweating.
• Depressive
neurosis: This condition is characterized by persistent, intense melancholy
that frequently coexists with losing interest in formerly enjoyable activities.
• Obsessive-compulsive
neurosis: People with this illness repeatedly engage in bothersome
thoughts, actions, or mental processes. Distress can result from both the
repetition of these cues and their absence.
• War or
combat neurosis: Also known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this
condition results from intensely traumatic experiences and is characterized by
excessive tension and an inability to carry out daily activities.
The term "neurosis" was frequently used to describe illnesses when the nervous system isn't working properly but there are no obvious lesions to account for the dysfunction.
Causes of neuroticism
Why might
one person's neuroticism score be higher than another's? Here are a few things
to think about.
• Brain
activity: In a smaller-scale experiment, it was discovered that after
watching unsettling images, persons who scored higher on the neuroticism scale
had lower amounts of oxygen in their lateral prefrontal cortex than those who
scored lower on the neuroticism scale. Numerous cognitive processes involve
this region of the brain.
• Childhood
trauma: Exposure to these kinds of experiences when you're younger seems to
have this effect, whereas experiencing trauma later in life doesn't seem to
raise neuroticism.
• Climate:
Residing in a region with more unpredictable weather patterns may raise your
likelihood of developing neurotic personality traits, possibly as a result of
impaired dopamine function brought on by climatic stress.
• Gender:
In all 22 of the nations examined for multicultural personality research,
women scored better for this feature. Even still, it does seem as though there
is a reduced gender disparity online. This is believed to be the case since
being more anonymous online allays fears about what other people may think of
you.
• Genetics:
According to some studies, neuroticism is inherited, much like how we inherit
other features like height. We may therefore have a predisposition toward this
particular personality trait to some extent from birth.
• Survival: It has even been suggested that neuroticism may have its origins in evolution since, in some ways, being too sensitive to threats or dangers might be advantageous for survival.
Managing
Neuroticism
Develop
mindfulness
Improve Your
Problem-Solving Techniques
Discover
Techniques to De-Stress
Recognize
the Possibility of Change
Maintain a Gratitude Journal Seek professional assistance
Conclusion
It's crucial to remember that being very neurotic doesn't necessarily make you a nasty person. The fact that you are sensitive and aware in a way that some people might not be is the positive side of the equation.
You are also probably the one that is constantly thinking of others and making an effort to be considerate of their feelings.
You can direct a neurotic behavior in the best way possible so that it benefits you rather than hinders your well-being if you can combine these positives with some inside effort to learn how to better regulate your negative thoughts and feelings.
Recognize your advantages and make the most of them while simultaneously attempting to lessen the negative repercussions of this trait.
