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The link between having a Type A personality – being competitive, controlling and very hard working – and heart disease has long been established. But researchers have now discovered that a new personality type, Type D, is also prone to heart disease. Type D people tend to experience a lot of negative emotions like anxiety, depression, irritation and pessimism. Find out if you’re Type D, and how that may increase your risk of developing heart problems.

What is the Type D personality?

The Type D personality was defined by psychologists in the 90s. Type D people tend towards negativity, and are withdrawn in social settings, making them unlikely to share the emotions that trouble them for fear of rejection. Type Ds are identified on answering a short questionnaire that asks people whether they would use the phrases ‘I am a closed person’ and ‘I often feel unhappy’ to describe themselves. If these statements make sense to you, you may want to see a psychologist and take the questionnaire. Learning to express your negative emotions could help prevent heart disease.

The Type D-heart disease link

Social and behavioural researcher Viola Spek of Tilburg University in the Netherlands, with the help of her colleagues, recently analysed 49 studies involving over 1,500 people, and found that Type D personalities are three times as likely as others to have heart problems. Type D personalities were also found to be three times as likely to experience mental health problems including depression and anxiety.

This could be because the anxiety Type Ds suffer from causes the body to release high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which increases blood pressure. Because Type Ds avoid discussing their problems, they are less likely than others to communicate with doctors and get regular check-ups.

What you can do

If you often feel anxious, depressed and pessimistic, psychotherapy can help you deal with and express these feelings, and reduce their severity. Yoga, exercise and meditation have been found to lower blood pressure, so it’s worth considering taking a yoga or meditation class, and hitting the gym, too.

Tags: Depression