While neuroticism can impact relationships, other traits can affect how that manifests. And there are many things people can do to protect and improve their relationships from the impact of neuroticism. Choosing Therapy recommends some methods of coping with challenging emotions and situations. These are designed to help people with neurotic traits interrupt patterned internal responses and reframe their thinking. Mindfulness means being aware of your surroundings in the here and now. Practicing mindfulness can help bring you back into the present moment to reduce stress and anxiety.
Neuroticism may trigger inappropriate or exaggerated responses to people or situations. Opposite action is doing the opposite of what you feel you should do when triggered, which can help turn a negative emotion or response into a positive one. A 2020 study in Psychology Research and Behavior Management found that practicing gratitude helped mitigate common traits of neuroticism by reducing stress, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions. Keeping a gratitude journal can help remind you of the many things you can be grateful for.
And don’t be afraid to seek professional help if you have difficulty coping with neurotic traits or relationship problems. Unified Protocol can help manage neurotic tendencies using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and other behavioral interventions to help people calm difficult emotions (per Choosing Therapy).