We all feel anxious from time to time in life and experience momentary mood swings. Such states are called neuroses and can be regarded as a reaction to different influences. However, a person’s constant state of neurosis and being constantly alert to life can be a type of personality disorder, neuroticism. There are also some main topics describing neurotic personality traits.
Neuroticism does not actually consist of a single definition. It is defined through some sub-types as there are different reasons and different symptoms that underlie the person’s constant anxiety or frequent mood changes. Whatever it is, you should not forget that it is not insoluble and that it is possible to treat it somehow, what is neuroticism, what are the neurotic personality traits, let’s examine it in all details.
Let’s start with the basics, what is neuroticism?
Neuroticism, also called neuroticism, is a type of personality disorder. It should not be confused with neurosis because neurosis is the neurotic reaction of a person to some basic fears such as a phobia or to some special situation. Neuroticism, on the other hand, is when these reactions become a part of a person’s life, that is, a personality trait.
People diagnosed with neuroticism have great anxiety at the center of their lives, and they often experience sudden mood swings because their lives are an unstable structure built around this anxiety. Neuroticism, which arises due to hereditary causes, becomes a full personality trait due to environmental factors, especially in the growing period.
Types of neurosis on the basis of neuroticism:
- anxiety neurosis
- phobic neurosis
- hysterical neurosis
- obsessive compulsive neurosis
- depressive neurosis
Anxiety neurosis:
If the state of anxiety experienced by the person has become permanent and this psychological state is now showing physical symptoms, anxiety neurosis lies on its basis. Heart palpitations, chest tightness, difficulty in breathing and excessive sweating seen in anxiety are examples of anxiety neurosis.
Phobic neurosis:
Phobic neurosis is a state of extreme fear of a phobia. What turns this situation into a neurotic personality disorder is the person’s constant fear of feeling in danger, despite the absence of any threat.
Hysterical neurosis:
The hysterical neurosis is an upper stage of the anxiety neurosis. The person experiencing hysterical neurosis says that he cannot move his hand or foot due to the anxiety and fear he feels even though there is no obvious reason.
Obsessive compulsive neurosis:
Obsessive compulsive neurosis is a condition in which a person becomes obsessed with feelings of anxiety and fear. Most of the time, the anxiety and fear are related to the future of the person. The person with obsessive compulsive neurosis is constantly struggling with worrying thoughts.
Depressive neurosis:
Depressive neurosis, also known as dysthymia neurosis, is a condition in which the person is almost at the point of being cut off from life. The anxiety of the person experiencing depressive neurosis is so high that he no longer sees even basic actions such as walking, eating, talking as unnecessary. These people have lost their will to live.
So what are neurotic personality traits?
- They describe the world as an unsafe place.
- They feel constant anxiety.
- They constantly feel fear.
- They are constantly stressed.
- They always think the worst.
- They look to the future with hope.
- Their attitudes towards the situations in which they live are exaggerated.
- Psychological problems can reach the point where they show physical symptoms.
- They tend to blame others.
- They get defensive at the slightest argument.
- They are insecure.
- They experience fear of abandonment.
- They have difficulty making decisions.
- They get excited quickly.
- They are shy in social communication.
- They exhibit selfish behavior.
- They can use alcohol and drugs.
- In milder cases, they can turn all these problems into advantages.
Even if some of the common features seen in people with neurotic personality disorder are like this, it is not true to say that these features are seen in everyone. There are certain degrees of neuroticism. In high-grade cases, sometimes all these are seen and negatively affect the person’s life. In low-grade cases, it is less common and can sometimes be turned into an advantage.
For example, let’s say there is a presentation that needs to be delivered tomorrow at noon. The person with a high degree of neuroticism thinks that the presentation will never catch up, even if it does, it will be bad, they will be fired, they always fail in life. The person with low-grade neuroticism, on the other hand, does not interrupt his work even if he has similar thoughts, and because he is worried, he works much more sensitively and prepares a much more successful presentation in order not to experience anything bad.
What causes neuroticism?
- Unable to control anxiety
- Inability to control fears
- obsessive compulsive disorders
- social phobias
- Bipolar disorder
- post traumatic stress disorder
- anxiety disorder
Some of the conditions that cause neuroticism, that is, neurotic personality disorder in the individual, are in this way. According to experts, neuroticism is based on hereditary factors, that is, it is a genetic disorder. However, the environmental factors that the person is exposed to, especially during the growth period, increase this risk even more. It can become a big problem if not detected and intervened early.
Can neurotic personality disorder be treated?
According to some experts, a person with neurotic personality disorder diagnosed with neuroticism will carry this psychological disorder throughout his life. Even if a definitive treatment is not possible, at least the degree of neuroticism can be reduced and the quality of life of the person can be increased. In fact, it decreases so much that it can even become invisible most of the time.
The first thing you need to do is acknowledge your anxieties, fears, and worries. After saying yes, I feel these, share all these with your loved ones. These thoughts, which are a great burden on a person’s back, will become lighter as they talk, share and talk. Another step you can take is to change your thinking.
Yes, you have anxieties, fears, worries, but remember, if you have neurotic personality disorder, you produce all these with your thoughts. Therefore, instead of obsessively thinking about the same things, try to change your mindset by approaching the issue from a different angle, even if it is difficult. Keep a diary, pour yourself out. If this situation has become to affect you and your environment, you should definitely get help from a specialist.
We talked about the details you need to know about the subject by answering questions such as what is neuroticism, which is a personality disorder that occurs as a result of the person’s constant anxiety and fear, and what are the neurotic personality traits. What we describe is for informational purposes only. Do not forget that you should get the most accurate and specific information about neuroticism from an expert psychologist, as it is about all health issues.
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