What Does Your Personality Say About Your Health?

The Daily Mail has an interesting article today on new research that suggests that our personalities may have more to do with our health than we think. The Daily Mail reports:

It's long been reported that people with socalled Type A personalities - hostile, highly competitive and impatient - are more prone to heart problems.

But now researchers are increasingly finding that a wider range of personalities and traits are linked to a host of medical problems, from stomach ulcers and viral infections to Parkinson's disease.

So, what could your personality mean for you? Well, here are a few to start you off.

If you're impulsive, your major health concern is stomach ulcers.

Researchers at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health studied more than 4,000 people and found that those who had an impulsive personality were 2.4 times more at risk.

It's thought that impulsive people tend to respond to stress with higher than normal rates of acid production, triggering peptic ulcers.

Research at the University of Wales has also shown that impulsiveness is associated with poorer control over eating.

If you're cheerful, you may be looking at a shortened lifespan.

'Children who were rated by their parents and teachers as more cheerful, and as having a sense of humour, died earlier in adulthood than those who were less cheerful,' say University of California researchers. 'Contrary to expectation, cheerfulness and sense of humour were inversely related to longevity.'

One theory is that cheerful people underestimate life's dangers and may also be more likely to have difficulty coping when things don't go as anticipated.

Are you aggressive? Well, then you've got a myriad of things to worry about, such as artherosclerosis, chronic inflammation, and depression.

To read more about these conditions, as well as what may ail those who are anxious, shy, optimistic, tight-lipped, conscientious, neurotic, extroverted, or pessimistic, read the rest of the story.

Comments

[Lerk4]

Sounds to me like no matter what you're like, you're screwed. So go forth and be bitchy!

[Titonwan]

I've shortened my lifespan just by reading this dribble. Good bye cruel world. Thanks.

[rini]

Oh, and the cooperative cheerful children? Perhaps they were being too cooperative and covering up any anger or bad feelings. Maybe they turn out to be stressed adults that don't communicate their needs or desire.

[rini]

Read about ayurvedic medicine and the theory of the tri-dosha.

5000 years ago in India they recognized the connection between body type, personality and health. There are three patterns that people tend to fall into, all resulting in certain health problems. The theory is that if you try to work to balance your lifestyle and habits you will be at less risk of disease,

They described the connection between sleep, obesity, anxiety, temper and your body type and health. They described two types of diabetes and different types of respiratory disease. They recommended rest for some people and more exercise for others.

5000 years ago, they knew things that we are just figuring out.

[Thucydides Jr.]

But.. but.. laughing and cheerfulness are supposed to INCREASE Lifespan:

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Positive affect and health-related neuroendocrine, cardiovascular and inflammatory processes."

Happy nuns and Finns are supposed to live longer. Is it just happy nuns and Finns? Or Happy Conscientious Finn Nuns? So confusing.

These studies irritate me because they often seem to contradict one another. I'll stay cheerful, impulsive, and irritated, thank you.

[Cathexis]

Sounds as if this is based on a lot of generalized and exaggerated behavioural associations.

[1099]

So the Psychaitric community should have no problem with it then.

[AtomiClash]

I guess if you have a varying personality, you're out and out screwed...