There is something off about negative energy that you don’t need so much time to sense or realise, it can be stirred by someone’s negative thoughts or other’s negative emotions and glum actions.

Some people are just energy drainers, 30 minutes or more spent with them just sucks out your energy, and makes you tired. Some negative energy releasers may do it on purpose, but others may not. It’s a person’s restrained negative energy that’s frequently more harmful than their noticeable negative behavior.

Though some people can read the signs of negative energy, most people are exposed to it without even being aware of it.

Signs of negative energy

According to Honorine Keza, an entrepreneur in Kigali, being around people who complain about your every mistake, and quickly judge you about anything, and even amidst all the good, they spot fault, that’s already negative energy. This is because such people dim your light and even trigger low self-esteem.

She stresses that negative people will always complain about their neighbors, partners, bosses, every one, and everything, and find pleasure in doing so.

Keza highlights that such people would want bring you down with them, perhaps you got a new job, or share with them some good news that excited you, but try to show you that whatever it is, isn’t that worthy the celebration or they will seek a reason to cover up your joy with other conversations.

"Negative people would make you feel miserable as them, if they experience heartbreaks in relationships and you’re happily married or dating, they would want you to encounter what they’re passing through, as they may want you to be in the same boat as them,” she states.

Keza is of the view that negative people are easily disappointed about the slightest of mistakes, and distresses, for instance, if they expect to be on time and you delay them, they completely feel like it’s an offense even before they hear your explanation.

She adds that negativity can trigger someone to get irritated and rude about each and everything, and feel aggravated if people don’t meet their expectations.

For Bright Nkurunziza, a counseling student, when people are negative, they segregate those with low status, such as low income jobs, no education and so forth.

He adds that negative people misconstrue everything others do and say and every little thing irritates them, all they do is setting you off, and have a way of making judgments that other people hate them even if they don’t.

"It’s easy to notice negativity, and people close to you can highlight how draining your characters or behaviors are, but when you don’t see any harm in your deeds, you may conclude that they hate you or are just attacking you,” he states.

Nkurunziza stresses that negative people see the worst ending in every favorite outcome as they always envisage and expect the worst of situations and people.

He adds that such people also give away advice without being asked for. Their lives may even need help to be fixed, yet they don’t follow the advice they give to others.

He also notes that negative people fear pushing themselves further to take on new challenges, they end up getting comfortable in one place, and fear the unknown.

Nkurunziza explains that at times negative people may show that they are happy about your successes yet deep down, they’re cursing.

"They are good at sabotaging; they talk behind your back at work, or speak negatively behind your back to break up your relationship. They apply pressure or bullying to get someone to adhere with your views,” he states.

How to overcome it?

Nkurunziza states that you can stay away from difficult people, or offer them silent treatment as it’s a way to make up for feelings of fatigue or exhaustion linked with the expectation of a horrible interface.

He also adds that be positive and find good in every situation, and don’t allow another person's miserableness to label you or your day, and your image.

According to Psych Central, a mental health news platform, one of the problems that happen when you are around a person with negative energy is that you can easily give that person permission to steal your joy, or otherwise impact your own state of mind in a negative way. Make the decision to hold on to yourself and your power and refuse to let the negative person own you.

"Before you walk into a situation with a person with negative energy, make the decision ahead of time that you will simply ignore them. Once you have made this decision it becomes easy.