Neuroticism, one of the Big 5 personality traits , is typically defined as a tendency toward anxiety , depression , self-doubt, and other negative feelings. All personality traits, including neuroticism, exist on a spectrum—some people are just much more neurotic than others. In the context of the Big 5 , neuroticism is sometimes described as low emotional stability or negative emotionality.
What Does It Mean to Be Neurotic?
Neuroticism has been defined somewhat differently by different psychologists, but at its core, it reflects a general tendency toward negative emotions. The term derives from the historic concept of neurosis, which referred to a form of mental illness involving chronic distress.
A person’s level of neuroticism can be assessed by personality tests that ask individuals to rate the extent to which they:
have frequent mood swings
… along with other, similar self-descriptions, with higher ratings indicating a higher level of neuroticism. Some systems of organizing the Big 5 traits—which include neuroticism—further divide the traits into multiple sub-traits. One scale, the most recent version of the Big 5 Inventory, separates neuroticism (relabeled as Negative Emotionality) into three facets that each reflect a tendency to feel certain ways:
How to Cope With Neuroticism
For someone who is highly neurotic, it’s easy to feel trapped by maladaptive thought patterns and to struggle with depression or anxiety.
Is there anything someone can do to make themselves less neurotic? Research suggests that personality traits are not set in stone and can change over the course of a lifetime—particularly after a major life event like getting married or having a child. Whether an individual naturally becomes less neurotic over time or not, however, there are steps one can take to better cope with neuroticism.
As a personality trait, neuroticism represents a relatively stable way of feeling and being, but a proneness to worry and distress can still be recognized and improved. Therapy and mindfulness practices are among the tools that may help someone better cope with distress and even dial down their levels of neuroticism.
Some evidence shows a decrease in neuroticism, on average, as young people enter adulthood . In particular, life events such as a first romantic relationship and transitioning to work or college from high school are linked to decreases in neuroticism, research suggests.
Explore More About Neuroticism
For a comprehensive understanding of neuroticism, read our complete guide: