Personality tests are useful tools that can help you gain insight into both your own traits and those of others. However, it’s essential to remember that personality assessments should never replace counseling or mental health evaluations.
According to a study conducted by University of Georgia clinical psychologist Chelsea Sleep, seven personality traits associated with difficult people include callousness, grandiosity, aggression, suspicion, manipulativeness, dominance and risk-taking.
1. Grandiosity
Grandiosity is the tendency to feel and act as if one is of greater significance than others. This can be difficult to detect and manage, often going undetected until it reaches extreme proportions.
People with grandiosity tend to be self-centered and arrogant, making them difficult to relate to. However, this trait may not always be indicative of mental health issues.
Grandiosity is often associated with bipolar disorder and may occur during episodes of mania or hypomania (less severe forms of the mood disorder). It may also appear in personality disorders like borderline personality disorder.
Dr. Elinor Greenberg, a psychologist and author who specializes in treating people with borderline personality disorder (BPD), describes the mental illness as having difficulty controlling emotions and an unstable sense of self. Additionally, BPD may be associated with idealization that is similar to grandiose thinking, according to her experience treating patients.
Additionally, anxiety may be a symptom of other conditions, such as depression or substance use disorders.
Thankfully, there are ways to combat the overwhelming thoughts that can have negative consequences in your life. One option is seeking professional assistance from a mental health professional who can offer guidance and comfort. Another approach involves learning new coping techniques which help you better comprehend and regulate your emotions.
2. Aggression
Aggression is a psychological term for behaviors intended to cause physical or psychological harm to another individual. This could include starting a fight, injuring someone accidentally or trying to commit suicide.
Difficult people often possess an aggressive personality, making them challenging to work with and potentially dangerous in the workplace. This trait could potentially adversely affect everyone around them and even result in injury or death in certain instances.
Aggressive individuals typically display rudeness and hostility towards others. This behavior may be the result of several factors, such as their biology, environment, and psychological history.
Instrumental aggression is a type of aggressive behavior intended to reach an objective. This type of harming another person often has as its goal the acquisition of something valuable such as attention, money or political power.
Another type of aggression is affective aggression, which involves an automatic, unthoughtful process leading to angry outbursts. These types of episodes can be triggered by many things such as frustration or stress.
Though many factors can lead to aggression in a person, it’s essential to remember that it’s normal for humans to experience anger and other emotions occasionally. However, if the signs of aggressive behavior become regular occurrences, seek professional assistance immediately.
3. Suspicion
Suspicious people often struggle to trust others, believing no one has their best interests at heart or that everyone in the world is out to get them.
Suspicions can make it difficult to build a meaningful relationship, and you should avoid being around someone who exhibits such behavior. Suspicion may also stem from mental illnesses like paranoid personality disorder.
It’s essential to recognize that suspicion is an emotion with negative repercussions for your life. For instance, it may make you more susceptible to depression and substance abuse problems.
Suspicion can be a strong predictor of criminal activity. A high level of suspicion makes it easier for people to commit crimes and may lead to false charges being filed.
Another potential explanation for suspicion may be due to an unpleasant experience in the past. If you find yourself constantly suspicious of your partner, it could be because of something that transpired years ago.
It’s possible that you have a family member with paranoid personality disorder, so be alert to their suspicious behavior when around them. Doing this will enable you to comprehend their actions more fully and avoid the emotional trauma associated with such experiences.
4. Dominance
Dominance is a characteristic personality trait, characterised by someone with the power and influence to force others into doing what they desire. While this can be advantageous for those looking to lead, it can also prove challenging to manage.
Influential people can exhibit a variety of traits that make them difficult to work with. They could be aggressive, push you beyond your limits, or use intimidation as a method for getting what they want.
Recent research from the University of Georgia examined the structure of antagonism and discovered that there are multiple factors that contribute to someone being perceived as “difficult”.
The team used personality traits such as narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy to assess participant antagonism toward punishment, criminal behavior, anxiety and depression. Scales were used to measure these emotions.
They also analyzed antagonism in relation to other characteristics of the dark triad, such as grandiosity, aggression and suspicion. Their findings indicate that antagonism exists on a spectrum ranging from agreeableness to disagreeableness; it’s not always easy to determine where someone fits on this continuum.
Although dealing with these characteristics can be a struggle, it’s essential to remember that they are an inevitable part of life. Additionally, there are ways to manage these behaviors and make them less disruptive.
5. Manipulativeness
Manipulativeness is a human trait that can either be an asset or a liability. While it’s often done intentionally or unintentionally with malicious intentions, its subtle nature makes it hard to detect and may lead to serious issues when someone with manipulative tendencies has significant control over your life.
Manipulators often employ tactics such as lying, making excuses and blaming others for their errors. These are all strategies designed to gain control over you and direct your behavior.
They may withhold important information or say things that are false in order to make it harder for you to discern the truth. These deceptions can be subtle or direct, and can be both destructive and draining to deal with.
Additionally, manipulative people sometimes employ emotional manipulation to deceive you and gain power over you. These mind games may cause fear, doubt your reality, and diminish your trust in yourself and other people.
To avoid manipulative behavior, it’s important to be self-aware and comprehend your feelings and emotions. Doing this will enable you to identify what is safe for yourself and what isn’t. Furthermore, communication your needs and respect others’ boundaries requires developing healthy boundaries, mastering effective communication techniques, and seeking support from loved ones or a reliable professional.
6. Callousness
Callousness is an emotional insensitivity that makes a person insensitive to other people’s feelings. You can typically tell when someone has this trait by looking at their treatment of others, especially with regard to their emotions.
Psychological research has often linked callousness with antisocial behavior. Recognizing this trait helps you better manage those who possess it.
People with this trait tend to lack empathy and feel no guilt about their decisions. Furthermore, they lack concern for other people’s feelings, leading them to manipulate others for personal gain or satisfaction.
Traits such as these can be passed down from generation to generation, making them particularly problematic during adolescence when kids are developing their personalities.
However, there is ample evidence to suggest this type of personality trait isn’t always responsible for antisocial behavior. These traits can also exist in healthy people without necessarily being indicative of a psychological disorder.
The researchers employed the “bass-ackward” method to break the data down into multiple steps and attempt to understand what causes antagonism. Eventually, they were able to construct a model which explains this phenomenon, consisting of seven factors.
