Type D Personalities: Stressed, Lonely and at Risk for Heart Disease

11/16/2018

You may be familiar with type A personalities, but how much do you know about type D?

In this case, the “D” stands for “distressed.” Type D personalities have a combination of traits that lead to high levels of stress, such as experiencing a lot of negative emotions, an inability to express those emotions well, and a tendency to avoid social interactions, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). In addition, Harvard Health states, unlike “type A” people, who are more likely to be perfectionists, ambitious and competitive, Type D individuals also tend to be pessimistic and have difficulty connecting emotionally to others, personality characteristics that can also increase stress levels.

Although both personality types practice behaviors that can lead to heart problems, type D personalities seem to be more at risk. One of the early studies on this personality type, conducted during the early 1990s at a Belgian cardiovascular rehabilitation center, found that within 10 years of completing a cardiac rehab program, 27 percent of type D personality patients had died compared to 6 percent of patients with other personality types.

At the Heart of It

Consistently high stress levels increase your heart rate and blood pressure and overwork your immune system, according to the American Heart Association. However, the APA notes that researchers aren’t clear whether stress and emotions put type D people at risk of heart disease or if underlying biological issues, such as inflammation and faulty stress hormone regulation, play a role.

Regardless of what causes heart problems for type D personality types, it never hurts for those individuals to seek behavioral health counseling to help manage stress, anxiety, depression and negative outlooks, all of which can cause lasting physical and emotional damage. Annual wellness visits with a primary care provider are also helpful in uncovering early signs of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, that can be managed with lifestyle changes and/or medications—and these visits are important for all personality types. Although type D personalities may be at higher risk, everyone can be impacted by heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Up With Optimism — No Matter Your Personality Type

Shifting from a negative to a positive outlook on life doesn’t require you to turn into a Pollyanna. It does, however, require practicing compassion for yourself and recognizing when negative thoughts are beginning to creep in. Here are some ways to do both:

• Check in. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself or your situation, take a step back to re-evaluate.
• Switch it up. Once you can recognize your negative thoughts, change them into positive expressions. Instead of saying, “I don’t know,” tell yourself, “I’m going to learn.” Instead of saying, “This is too difficult,” tell yourself, “I can try again.”
• Practice gratitude. Being thankful for what you have, whether a comfortable house or a good friend, allows you to shift your focus away from what you feel is missing from your life.
• Don’t ignore negative emotions. Being optimistic doesn’t mean you’ll never feel sad, hurt or angry again. However, when you do feel these emotions, use positive self-talk to remind yourself that everything is going to be OK.

A primary care provider can help you identify if you are at risk for heart conditions. Schedule an appointment online at MyMeritDoctor.com or call 844‑MSMERIT.

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