Types of People to Avoid: Negative Character Traits
Identifying negative personality traits can lead you to a ton of happiness.
Those with negative personality traits tend to sow seeds of doubt and fear in those around them.
Sowing seeds of doubt and fear about life can grow into something bigger.
It can start to cause anxiety or high levels of stress leaving anyone within their presence feeling unhappy and exhausted.
These types of people are toxic and unhealthy to be around.
Therefore, it is essential to understand and know the different signs of negative personality traits to avoid these types of people to live a healthier and more positive life.
Often Complains
Have you ever been around someone and all they do is complain about everything, from the economy to their friendships and even their jobs?
When something positive happens, such as getting a raise, they only see the negative.
Regardless of how blessed they are, they will never realize it.
Complainers may not see the Silver Lining regardless of how much you try to show them.
Therefore, making it exhausting to be around someone who is constantly complaining.
Why is it toxic? Be careful of this personality trait. Being around those with these character traits can leave you depressed and sad.
Speaks Ill of Others
Gossiping creates a pact between a group of people, usually at the expense of another.
Gossiping causes harm not only to the person spreading the rumors but everyone involved.
There are several reasons somebody may want to gossip and speak poorly of others.
Below are a few reasons someone gossips:
- Come from a place of jealousy
- They struggle with low self-esteem
- Outright hate
- Doesn’t understand how they hurt others with their words
Be careful of those who gossip.
It may make you uncomfortable knowing something personal about somebody close to you, especially if you hear it from someone else.
Furthermore, airing out someone’s ‘dirty laundry’ may lead to humiliation for that individual. Being a part of that will likely leave you feeling lousy.
Those who speak to you about other people are likely to gossip about you to others.
Why is this toxic?
Gossiping is toxic because it puts you in an uncomfortable position.
Gossiping can deteriorate a friendship with someone you are close to and may not want to lose as a friend. Furthermore, gossiping can leave you feeling horrible
Disregards Your Issues
Another negative personality trait is disregarding any concerns you may have. This negative trait is incredibly harmful.
Someone who disregards your concern is when you express something problematic, followed by a cold shoulder, a change in topic, or a dismissive phrase such as “be more positive”.
A dismissive response indicates your problems are not essential and is a form of belittlement.
Why is this toxic?
When someone disregards your concern on a particular issue, it is a form of belittlement used to make you feel your worries and problems are insignificant.
Faking Concern
On the other hand, faking concern is equally as toxic as disregarding concern.
Faking concern is when someone acts as if they care about your problems, encouraging the conversation only to use it to get attention on themselves and speak ill of you behind your back.
These individuals will encourage the conversation to get every detail. These people cannot wait to leave your presence to tell your personal information to others.
Why is this toxic?
Faking concern is when someone acts like they care about your problems and further the conversation by using your intimate details to their advantage.
They usually show interest, so you can tell them everything they need to know to spread the gossip to others to get attention.
Knowing that someone shared intimate details of your life will leave you sad and depressed.
Having others know embarrassing or private information about you will likely not create a positive and uplifting experience.
Make Excuses
Someone who always has an excuse for why something positive doesn’t happen has a defeatist attitude.
Want to go to college and need to know how?
Rather than Googling, taking a class, or visiting a college campus for resources, they complain about not knowing the first steps to get into a university.
Thus, using the excuse as a crutch so they don’t have to take action toward their dreams.
Giving excuses are usually a tool to avoid taking responsibility.
Excuses can hinder the ability to do anything from getting a car fixed, going to school, taking an exam needed to start a new career, or starting a business.
Why is this toxic?
This defeatist attitude of having excuses is harmful because it can lead you to try to fix their problems for them. Therefore, taking away time and energy from focusing on yourself.
In the end, it may feel good to help someone, but a defeatist attitude will always need help. Once you have solved one problem, they will have another.
Spending all your time and energy building another person up when they won’t do it themself is not only hindering your growth but is also unfair to yourself. That is why this personality trait is toxic.
Belittles
A person who belittles can take any hope, desire, and dream and instill doubt and fear with a few words.
The worst part is the victim may not even realize they are being belittled. Belittlement can come in the form of comparisons or comments.
Comparison is when others size you up with somebody else’s accomplishments or lifestyle to make you feel inadequate.
Comparison is a manipulation tool to push you to be more like the person you are compared to.
Being compared to others is toxic as it makes you feel inadequate.
Another form of belittlement is the blatant comments that are just downright rude.
Sometimes belittling comments can be so subtle that the victim may not even realize they are being verbally abused. It may come as backhanded compliments.
Why is this toxic?
Belittlement is toxic because it leaves you feeling lesser of a person, unmotivated, and feeling inadequate in life.
Nobody wants to feel like a total loser when they leave someone’s presence all because they are not living the desired life the person believes they should be.
Always the Victim
The person who is always the victim is the one who is constantly the sufferer with no glory in their own life story.
The ones who play victim always blame their life problems on everyone else and never because of their own choices.
Playing the victim allows the ability to escape taking responsibility for their actions.
It is tough to grow personally without taking responsibility for one’s actions.
Constantly playing the victim is harmful to those closest since their lack of taking responsibility for their actions can cause anxiety, fear, and depression for their victims.
For example, a spouse who can’t keep a job and always blames the employer for quitting.
Therefore, adding responsibilities and pressure on the spouse to maintain the bills during constant breaks of unemployment.
Another example of playing the victim may be complaining about how they are too old to mow the lawn, hoping someone else will mow the grass for them.
Rather than just taking responsibility, they would rather complain until somebody else fixes their problems.
The issue with playing the victim is that it adds duties to another person’s life, causing more pressure and stress to those closest to the individual who plays the victim.
Why is it toxic?
Playing the victim essentially is trying to forgo taking responsibility.
It is harmful because when people play the victim, they often blame those around them instead of themselves for the things happening in their life.
Another way that playing the victim is harmful is that it causes pressure on other people to try to fix the problems in the ‘victims’ life rather than improving their own life.
Life is hard for everyone, and playing the victim only makes it harder for those around them.
See the Worst
No matter how sunny, perfect the weather, or clear the sky, they will only focus on the storm heading that way.
These individuals will take every day’s blessings for granted only to fixate on the worst of life.
Instead of being grateful for what they have, they will only focus on the possible doom and gloom the future holds.
These people are harmful and highly toxic to your wellbeing—[Read also: 10 Reasons Protecting Your Wellbeing is so Important].
Why is this toxic?
They will steal your happiness and joy by instilling tiny seeds of worrisome and doubts. They will leave you emotionally drained.
Judges
Being judgmental is another negative character trait, as it allows individuals to judge others for their choices and decisions.
Being judgemental can come as criticism that tears others down—usually done by someone who may be unhappy, bitter, or struggles with low self-esteem. [Read also: What to do if You Find Out Someone is Gossiping about You]
Judgment in any form is toxic.
Being judgemental can be as small as picking apart someone’s outfit as significant such as spreading information about someone’s performance at work, causing them to lose their job.
Judgment is toxic to the person performing the acts and everyone involved.
Why is it toxic?
Judgment tears others apart while creating a herd pact mentality at the expense of others. Thus, forming a bond over the expense of another.
Being judgemental is unhealthy and harmful.
Tells Others How to Live Their Life
Ever been around someone who tells others how to live their life?
Although they may have the best intention, it is still a negative trait.
Telling someone else how to live their life causes doubt and confusion for that individual.
Especially if the person giving advice has a significant impact on the other’s life; this can be a close sibling, spouse, or parent who the person trusts and respects dearly.
Opinions from someone close may cause the victim to feel pressured to make life choices they are uncomfortable with, which can later cause feelings of resentment and bitterness.
Why is this toxic?
Everyone wants to live their own life—each with their own set of dreams, goals, and desires.
Being told how to live your life is harmful because it puts pressure on you to live a life that does not fulfill your desires but the desires of someone else around you.
Has Anxiety
Being around someone who worries about everything all the time is both intense and draining.
These are individuals who focus on the future’s unknown, anticipating only the worst.
They will express fear and doubt about things they know nothing about while worrying about everything.
Why is this toxic?
They will instill thoughts of fear and doubt about the future.
Being around individuals who have high anxiety is unhealthy and can lead to a negative mindset if exposed too often.
This type of personality trait will leave you tired and exhausted from being in their presence.
It’s important to understand that it is NOT YOU when encountering different types of negative personality traits.
Just know there is nothing wrong with you even if you leave their presence feeling like that.
Being belittled, judged, compared, or listening to someone’s constant negativity doesn’t have a reflection of you as a person but on them.
Try not to let their words get you down or ruin your perfectly happy day!
In conclusion, focusing on positive personality traits can lead to greater happiness.
Those who possess negative personality traits often spread uncertainty and anxiety to those around them.
This type of behavior can quickly escalate, causing those in their company to feel drained and dissatisfied.
Therefore, it is essential to understand and know the signs of negative personality traits to avoid these types of people to live healthier and more positive lives.
Full List of Types of People to Avoid: Negative Character Traits
- Often Complains
- Speaks Ill of Others
- Fake Concerns
- Makes Excuses
- Belittles
- Always the Victim
- See’s Only the Worst
- Judges
- Tells Others How to Live Their Life
- Has Anxiety
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About Author, Sara Elizabeth
Writer, Amora V Lifestyle
Co-Owner of Elizabeth Besich Boutique
Sara is a writer for Amora V Lifestyle and is Co-Owner of Elizabeth Besich. Sara previously worked as a Marketing Manager and has her Master’s from Lindenwood University.
Sara studies everything of interest, from psychology, recipes, finances, mental health, and travel, thriving to find happiness and to live a good life.
When not learning, Sara loves all things outdoors, food, and hanging around great company. Furthermore, Sara loves spending time with family, who she is blessed to have in her life.
Note from the author: Through my articles, I hope to bring you joy and peace and that you enjoy it!
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