Heart Attack - Your Personality Determines it All

In the mid 1950s, Dr. Meyer Friedman and Dr. R. H. Rosenham, renowned cardiologists of those times came up with a theory. They claimed that they can say if a person is prone to heart attacks or not and its severity by determining his personality type! In the early 70s the Jenkins Activity Survey published their findings about the link between heart attacks and one's behavior.

These two cardiologist classified people into two broad groups or types. However, in the later years there were many contradictions to this finding, but most of the researches still believe in this personality typing.

Type A Versus Type B

The classifications were made simply keeping in mind the priorities and the personality of the dominant population. They are termed as Type A and Type B groups of people.

People with Type A personality live with extreme degrees of stress. These types of people love to accomplish tasks and are driven to tackle more demanding and challenging tasks successfully at just about any chance. So they keep themselves busy thriving to accomplish the tougher tasks or targets. They find it really hard to break off from their work, even after the task is successfully completed. These people work round the clock but still feel sandwiched between time and work. Type A group people love challenges and do not hesitate to even start competition themselves. This group works hard as they cannot, in any case, tolerate failure or defeat. As a result of their hyper-activeness, these people are generally highly qualified in academics and are quite healthy!

For those who fall under the Type B category seem to experience only low levels of stress in their day-to-day life. Their distinctive characteristics are that they stabilize their workload and are happy and content about their accomplishments. So this way they do not deal with too much of stress. This sect of people does not take challenge as seriously as the Type A people and even take their failures in stride. They either take part in the challenge or withdraw their participation from it. Type B people are typically creative thinkers and are open to new ideas and thoughts. They are also contemplative, connecting the physical and mental form of life.

Personality Type And Heart Attacks

So it is very clear by now that people who fall under the Type A category are more prone to heart diseases and attacks. This is because they are under constant self-built pressure and are constantly stressed of accomplishing their tight goals. Once you find out your personality type, you should try and divert your energy in a more constructive and effective way than draining it out at work.

In fact stressful conditions will not only increase the risk of heart attacks but also the chances of developing other mental and physical health conditions. You can help your dear ones who are Type A by helping them understand the consequences of their personality type and problems that can occur. Challenging a Type A person to "let go" and say enough is enough is definitely going to challenging, but then again that is what they strive on, challenges.

Help them by offering tasks around home that need to be accomplished, or planning and following through on hobbies or activities to relieve stress that they automatically carry around with them.

If you are confused with your personality type then meet a doctor who can educate you more about your personality type and its link to developing heart attacks and other health problems.

Sources:

stress.about.com/od/understandingstress/a/type_a_person.htm

www.mindpub.com/art207.htm

changingminds.org/explanations/preferences/typea_typeb.htm