Historically, we've been concerned about the classic Type A personality trait where stress is generated by trying to do more and more things in less and less time. The condition, often been referred to as "hurry sickness," can reduce blood flow to the heart and contribute to angina, heart attack and even sudden cardiac death.

Recently, doctors are looking at the personality trait called Type D personality, as in "distressed." Type D personalities demonstrate negative feelings about virtually everything. In other words, the glass is always half empty, never half full.

We've known that negative emotions - particularly depression,anger and hostility - significantly increase the risk of developing heart disease while lowering long-term survival of cardiac patients in Type A personalities. But studies now suggest that Type D personalities, "negative thinkers" who worry over trivial, everyday events and are pessimistic, are three times more likely to have a heart attack than more positive thinkers. In contrast, people who are positive and optimistic have been shown to have less disease progression and faster recovery times after coronary bypass surgery.
1 | Left by Anon | Aug. 3, 2011 at 10:20am