When it comes to personality types, Type A personalities have always been identified to exhibit the most health-hazardous behaviours. With their distinct aggressiveness, impatience, and an inclination for perfectionism; it stands to reason, why people possessed with this personality are more likely to get worked up in raising their blood pressures compared to their more laid back counterparts. However, recent studies have concluded that another personality type possessed with an emotionally distant and distressed character is worse off than Type A personalities. With the letter D standing for "distressed", Type D personalities, who have the aforementioned negative traits, are prompted to gravitate towards acquiring a negative outlook in life, thus heightening their risk of getting seriously ill.

The Type D Personality Up Close

Based on the findings of a Dutch study, the Type D personality transcends the risk of Type A's when it comes to acquiring cardiovascular diseases. The high level of emotional distress characterizing people known to exhibit traits associated with this personality type leads them to adopt a "victim" mentality, in which they morosely anticipate the worst of circumstances. Having a conscious inclination to keep their feelings bottled up, their raised susceptibility to coronary illnesses puts them at higher risk of dying and living a poor quality life.

According to the theory of the Harvard Mental Health concerning the Type D personality's proneness to cardiovascular ailments and stroke, their badly regulated hormones could be the culprit. Due to it, people under this personality type have a natural tendency to exhibit the following adverse physical symptoms which heighten their risk of the aforementioned illness: faster heartbeat, high blood pressure, tightening of the blood vessels, and a tendency to release more sugar.

As of yet, studies still have to be conducted to confirm whether subjecting Type D personalities to psychological treatment would have any positive effect on their proneness to heart disease. Nevertheless, the benefits they would get from it would work to decrease their stress, alleviate their depression and anxiety, and boost their self-esteem; overall promoting a better self and a higher quality of life for them.

Life Changing Suggestions to Take to Heart

If you exhibit the characteristics of being distressed and emotionally distant, which are indicative of a Type D personality, you can effect changes to yourself and your life by taking the lead with these eye-opening truths in mind.

Change your "victim" mentality.

Life is always a matter of choice; needless to mention, the choices you make are what would decide the course of your life. Resigning yourself to the dismal reality of being stuck in circumstances due to one reason or another only reflects your fear, which could only drag you deeper as time progresses. You can never be a victim if you do not want to be one. Rather than sulk in a corner and gripe endlessly about how unfortunate you are, take charge and move forward.

Learn to communicate yourself truthfully.

Like every one else, you have every right to express yourself truthfully. But in doing so, it would be best to become attentive to others and be observant of how they would receive you. In communicating, it is imperative for all parties involved to give and take turns in honestly voicing out their ideas and listening with an open mind. Since life is a learning process, do not be disheartened if circumstances turn out otherwise than you had expected. Charging it to experience, with constant interaction and a genuine desire to listen and be heard at the same time, you would eventually learn the ropes of good communication seguing to harmonious relationships.

Lose the unnecessary emotional baggage, especially anger.

Time and time again, we would stumble upon thorns during the course of our journey. Getting hurt and feeling angry are nothing short of a normal reaction. Anger, after all, is an emotion that tells us if something is not right with us. But holding on to it for an extended period, would only make it accumulate. In the end, you could either implode or explode, both of which result to negative consequences that could even cost you your good health.