Neuroticism

Neuroticism is characterised by sadness, moodiness, and emotional instability. Often mistaken for anti-social behaviour, or worse a greater psychological issue, neuroticism is a physical and emotional response to stress and perceived threats in someone’s daily life.

Individuals who exhibit high levels of Neuroticism will tend to experience mood swings, anxiety and irritability. Some individuals who experience sudden changes in character from a day-to-day perspective could be highly neurotic and respond to high stress levels in their work and personal lives.

Anxiety, which plays a large part in the makeup of neuroticism, is about an individual’s ability to cope with stress and perceived or actual risk. People who have high levels of Neuroticism might tend to overthink a lot of situations and find difficulty in relaxing even in their own space.

To give you a sense of the other side of the spectrum: those with low levels of Neuroticism tend to take more time to focus on the present moment and not get involved in mental arithmetic on possible stress-inducing factors.