Show Medically Reviewed by Smitha Bhandari, MD on June 14, 2021 Lots of people feel anxious from time to time. You might get a knot in your stomach before a job interview, stress about money, or fret if your child isn’t home by curfew. It’s a normal part of being human. But what if your extreme worry doesn’t go away? Negative or obsessive thoughts can take over your mind to the point that it’s hard for you to handle everyday situations. That’s called neurotic behavior. It can -- but not always -- stem from a mental illness. Neurotic means you’re afflicted by neurosis, a word that has been in use since the 1700s to describe mental, emotional, or physical reactions that are drastic and irrational. At its root, a neurotic behavior is an automatic, unconscious effort to manage deep anxiety. In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association removed the term neurosis from its diagnostic manual as part of a revamp to standardize the criteria for mental illnesses. Today, neurosis is not a stand-alone mental condition. Instead, doctors most often put its symptoms in the same category as anxiety disorder. In other words, what used to be called neurosis now falls under the umbrella of anxiety. The line that divides neurotic from normal is the intensity. Neurotic thoughts and behaviors by definition are so extreme that they interfere with your personal, professional, and romantic lives. What’s more, they tend to be your default response to even minor problems. Common behavior: You worry about finishing a big project at work on time. Neurotic behavior: You fixate on the deadline and moan, “I’ll never get this done!” even though it’s not due for months and you have little other work to do. Common behavior: You like to get to the airport 2 hours before every flight. Neurotic behavior: You insist on arriving 4 hours early, and then you ask the gate agent every 10 minutes if the departure is on time. Common behavior: Your former spouse was unfaithful, and you’re wary about new relationships. Neurotic behavior: You constantly ask your new partner if they’re cheating on you, and then blame yourself for driving them away. Sometimes neurotic behaviors arise because you literally have a neurotic personality. Also called neuroticism, it’s a personality type, not a diagnosable medical problem. Experts call it one of the “Big Five” personality traits (the others are extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience), a set of common characteristics that are found around the world most often. A neurotic personality has little natural buffer against stress. You see everyday situations as far worse than they really are, and then blame yourself for your extreme pessimism and negativity. You might constantly feel: Neurotic behaviors also can stem from mental health problems. A neurotic personality may make you more prone to get what researchers call “internalizing disorders,” such as: Neurotic personality or neurotic behaviors do not include delusions or hallucinations, which are symptoms of psychotic disorders where you lose touch with reality. Instead, you obsess over your own negative emotions and failures, real or imagined. Researchers believe there’s a link between neurotic personality and your genes, which may pave the way for new treatments for anxiety or depression. People with neurotic personalities are more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol and other drugs, have eating disorders, lack social support, and divorce. At the same time, a healthy dose of neurotic tendencies can be useful. Someone with a balanced personality may channel anxiety about a deadline at work to frame it as a chance to earn a promotion or to team up with co-workers. Or worries about your health could motivate you to eat well and to exercise. If you manage your anxiety and stress, it may help curb your neurotic behaviors. Self-treatment may work if your anxiety is mild and brief. Experts recommend that you: Exercise every day. Thirty minutes is best, but even a 15-minute walk can help you feel better. Talk to someone. Tell family and friends what’s fueling your anxiety, and let them know how they can help. Get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can worsen anxiety and stress. Aim for 8 hours of shut-eye every night. Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. They can also make anxiety worse. Drink water instead. Eat well-balanced meals. Healthy meals and snacks boost your energy. Be sure to eat every meal: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Reframe your thoughts. It’s not always easy, but try to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Ask yourself: Is what I’m worried about really as bad as I think? Write it down. Track what triggers your anxiety, and then look for patterns. Learn better ways to handle it next time. If these measures don’t help, or if you feel that anxiety is hampering your life, talk to your doctor.
For nearly 60 years, researchers have examined the relationship between personality traits and exercise participation. Rhodes and Smith (2006), using meta-analytic procedures reported that extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were significantly related to exercise participation (Personality correlates of physical activity: A review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40, 958–965). Gender as a moderator of the personality and exercise relationship remained inconclusive. In addition, researchers have suggested that the stage approach may lend greater insight as to the importance of personality. The investigator's primary purpose was to determine whether gender moderated the personality and exercise relationship. The secondary purpose was to determine the importance of personality within a stage approach. Participants were 827 females and 657 males college-aged students who completed measures of the “big five” personality traits and two exercise measures. The results indicated that gender was not a moderator and that the stage approach offers insight as hypothesized differences resulted in personality between intentional exercisers and non-exercising individuals as well as within exercising individuals.
What are the Big Five personality traits?Your personality is unique to you and an important part of who you are. It includes your preferences, mannerisms, and behavior. Together, these can play a role in your friendships, relationships, career, and hobbies. There are countless personality tests designed to help you better understand your own personality. They come in many formats and are based on different models. The Big Five model of personality, also called the Five-Factor Model (FFM), is one popular model. The Big Five model represents five major personality traits, which you can remember using the CANOE acronym:
Read on to learn more about the Big Five personality traits, including how to find out your own results. How can I get my results?There are several websites that offer their own versions of the Big Five personality trait test. One popular option is called the Big Five inventory. This method uses your response to about 50 short statements or phrases. You’ll be asked to agree or disagree, on a scale of 1 to 5, to each phrase. Based on your answers, your results will show you where you fall on a spectrum for each trait. For example, you might score high in conscientiousness and low in extraversion. You can take the Big Five inventory for yourself here. KEEP IN MIND What does conscientiousness mean?Conscientiousness describes a careful, detail-oriented nature. High scoreIf you score high on conscientiousness, you likely:
If you are a conscientious person, you might follow a regular schedule and have a knack for keeping track of details. You likely deliberate over options and work hard to achieve your goals. Coworkers and friends might see you as a reliable, fair person. You may tend to micromanage situations or tasks. You might also be cautious or difficult to please. Low scoreA low score on conscientiousness might mean you:
A low conscientiousness score might mean you prefer a setting without structure. You may prefer doing things at your own pace to working on a deadline. This might make you appear unreliable to others. What does agreeableness mean?Agreeableness refers to a desire to keep things running smoothly. High scoreA high score in agreeableness might mean you:
If you score high in agreeableness, you you’re helpful and cooperative. Your loved ones may often turn to you for help. People might see you as trustworthy. You may be the person others seek when they’re trying to resolve a disagreement. In some situations, you might a little too trusting or willing to compromise. Try to balance your knack for pleasing others with self-advocacy. Low scoreA low agreeableness score might mean you:
A low agreeableness score may mean you tend hold grudges. You might also be less sympathetic with others. But you are also likely avoid the pitfalls of comparing yourself to others or caring about what others think of you. What does neuroticism mean?Neuroticism describes a tendency to have unsettling thoughts and feelings. High scoreA high score in neuroticism can mean you:
If you score high on neuroticism, you may blame yourself when things go wrong. You might also get frustrated with yourself easily, especially if you make a mistake. Chances are, you’re also prone to worrying. But you’re likely also more introspective than others, which helps you to examine and understand your feelings. Low scoreIf you score low on neuroticism, you likely:
A low neuroticism score can mean you’re confident. You may have more resilience and find it easy to keep calm under stress. Relaxation might also come more easily to you. Try to keep in mind that this might not be as easy for those around you, so be patient. What does openness mean?Openness, or openness to experience, refers to a sense of curiosity about others and the world. High scoreIf you scored high on openness, you might:
A high score on openness can mean you have broad interests. You may enjoy solving problems with new methods and find it easy to think about things in different ways. Being open to new ideas may help you adjust easily to change. Just make sure to keep an eye out for any situations where you might need to establish boundaries, whether that be with family members or your work-life balance. Low scoreA low openness score might mean you:
A low openness score can mean you consider concepts in straightforward ways. Others likely see you as being grounded and down-to-earth. What does extraversion mean?Extraversion refers to the energy you draw from social interactions. High score:A high extraversion score might mean you:
If you score high on extraversion, you might consider yourself an extrovert. You might enjoy attention and feel recharged after spending time with friends. You likely feel your best when in a large group of people. On the other hand, you may have trouble spending long periods of time alone. Low score:A low extraversion score can mean you:
A low extraversion score can mean you prefer to spend time alone or with a small group of close friends. You might also be a more private person when it comes to sharing details about your life. This might come across as standoffish to others. Is the Big Five model reliable?Since its development in the early 1990s, the Big Five model has been used widely by researchers, business professionals, and others. This is partly because it’s an effective model. While personality can continue to develop over your lifetime, a 2011 study suggests that the Big Five personality traits are, in general, mostly stable over a four-year period once your reach adulthood. Any changes that do happen are usual small and gradual. In addition, a 2006 review of cross-cultural studies looking at the Big Five personality traits suggests that these traits tend to be found worldwide. Some traits may be viewed as less important in some cultures than in others, and some cultures may value other traits this model doesn’t measure. But generally speaking, this model is considered universal. The bottom linePersonality tests can sometimes help you understand yourself better. But they can’t completely define who you are as a person. A test won’t fully describe you, even if it gets some things right. If you’d like to work on a specific feeling or behavior, or if you think one of your traits might have a negative effect on your relationships, you can always seek help from a counselor or therapist. A counselor can help you uncover more about your personality and explore ways to achieve any changes you’d like to make. |
Males and females who exercise have lower levels of neuroticism than those who don’t exercise.
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