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Neurotic people: the 8 characteristics that distinguish them

Neurotic people: the 8 characteristics that distinguish them

March 1, 2024

Neurotic people are a constant in our society. And despite the fact that we call ourselves "rational animals", emotional instability is widespread among the human species.

And the fact is that the meaning of the term "neuroticism" basically alludes to that: the relative instability of emotional and sentimental states, specifically, by a bias towards ideas and Negative emotions and generating anxiety . This means that in a matter of minutes a slight stimulus, unimportant for most, causes a lot of discomfort in the neurotic person. Now, in practice ... what exactly does it mean to be a neurotic person? Let's see it


  • Related article: "Types of people: 13 basic characteristics of personality"

This is how neurotic people are

The word "neuroticism" was used by the psychologist Hans Eynseck to refer to a personality trait that indicates the tendency to delve into negative and stressful thoughts, which can erupt almost at any time. Next we will see how this is translated daily.

1. Constant search for references

Neurotic people need to feel anchored to reality through the example they see in other people, charismatic people in which they reflect and to which they want to look . In this way, they try to give consistency to their life goals by borrowing the attitudes and values ​​of someone they normally idealize.


Of course, this works in some cases, but in others it causes even more problems. Why? Because the fact itself of not resembling that reference figure gives more reasons for frustration. On the other hand, the fact that they idealize their idols also contributes to the actions of neurotic people being able to follow a mold of unreasonable behavior.

2. They can be very direct

In their personal relationships, neurotic people are able to show themselves in a significantly invasive and even inappropriate way with the rest, even without being angry. The reason is that although they know the theory of what is considered "educated behavior", in practice it often costs them to take it into account, since they get carried away by the emotions of the present regardless of whether this leads them to be very invasive with the rest.

3. They contradict themselves often

Another feature of neurotic people is that there is relatively little consistency in their actions and speech. The reason for this is that the emotional state of the moment influences a lot, and that makes the reasoning that could structure the thought disappear or lose importance during the time in which the emotional wins the game.


  • Related article: "Are we rational or emotional beings?"

4. They often fall into anticipatory anxiety

Easily fall into stress In the face of setbacks, stress manifests itself intensely in neurotic people. It is usually given in limited quantities, but it can lead to crises in which control is lost.

5. Make forecasts in terms of white or black

Nuances and details are often overlooked when there is something that captures all our attention. This is exactly what happens to neurotic people when making predictions; There are so terrifying possibilities that everything is analyzed according to whether certain actions bring us closer to that possible scenario or if it moves us away from it.

6. They do not tolerate frustration well

We have seen that neurotic people are prone to make very pessimistic forecasts of the future , but, paradoxically, when something goes wrong that also affects them more than the rest, often producing an explosion of emotions. This is because the problem of perceiving a failure is compounded by the difficulty of knowing how to act from that moment to recompose the present and make it more tolerable.

7. They are sensitive to criticism

It is very common for neurotic people to have unstable self-esteem, usually relatively low because of the episodes of constant uncertainty that they usually go through. That is why criticisms can easily hit the target and hurt their feelings; not only because they believe that there are many reasons to criticize them, but also because, as we have seen, they adopt a catastrophist interpretation of things .

On the other hand, criticism can also be taken as an indication that a veiled message is launched, something that indicates that this person knows a secret about us and expresses it indirectly. This possibility, based on an almost paranoid thought , it is terrifying for neurotic people.

8. They are more sensitive in general

What defines neurotic people is not so much the going from one end of the arch of emotions to its opposite, but the ease with which they fall into negative emotions (that is, unpleasant for those who experience them). Because, It is easy to feel bad with all kinds of situations , from a sad movie to something that may be slightly offensive.


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