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Angry or Blissful – Are You Type A or B, and Do You Match?

Angry or Blissful - Are You Type A or B, and Do You Match 2
Angry or Blissful - Are You Type A or B, and Do You Match 2
Angry or Blissful – Are You Type A or B, and Do You Match?

In this week’s Success Newsletter, I would like to reveal the differences between Type A and Type B personalities, the link to heart disease, and share insights into their compatibility or lack thereof!

First a quick update:

The Breakup Test
Are you heartbroken, angry, lost, lonely, confused, depressed, hung up, or pining over your ex? Do you know how your ex is truly affecting you and do you want to benefit from personalize advice, action steps and revelations? Take my free breakup test and get your own personalized report.

14 Ways To Escape From A Narcissist or Toxic Relationship
Criticism, contempt, condemnation, stonewalling, silent treatment, defensiveness, manipulation, control and/or any form of abuse – mental, emotional, physical form a toxic relationship. Watch the video  for the 14 ways to escape the toxic relationship and narcissist.

Now, let’s talk about the differences between Type A and Type B personalities, the link to heart disease, and share insights into their compatibility or lack thereof!

Do you know someone who is highly competitive, rushed, aggressive, ambitious and domineering?

You probably refer to him or her as a Type A personality – and that’s not a good thing!

Let me explain.

The term Type A personality was coined by two cardiologists, Dr. Ray Rosenman and Dr. Meyer Friedman, who in the 1950s, identified that Type A patients were at a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems – seven times higher in Type A than Type B. They discovered this by what patients did to the waiting room chairs!

Drs. Friedman and Rosenman eventually changed the term Type A personality to Type A behavior.

Are you a Type A or Type B?

Look at the list below; which best describes you?

Type A – Angry – preoccupied with schedules and the speed of their performance

1. Reacts quickly
2. Always in a rush
3. Impatient
4. Hostile & aggressive
5. Ambitious – highly goal-oriented
6. Highly active & busy; multi-tasker
7. Intensely competitive – seeks advancement & recognition
8. Speaks quickly; finishes other people’s sentences
9. Struggles to relax and let go; easily stressed
10. Low self-esteem
11. Experiences guilt when not working or being productive
12. Workaholic
13. Adheres to strict schedules and plans the day
14. Highly self-disciplined
15. Prefers to be boss rather than be team player

Type B – Blissful – may be more creative, imaginative, and philosophical

1. Reacts slowly
2. Not in a rush – tends to procrastinate
3. Patient
4. Calm, easy-going, even-tempered
5. Achieves goals but not as ambitious as Type A
6. Carefree
7. Not competitive
8. Speaks slowly
9. Relaxes easily and can let go
10. Calm and not easily stressed
11. Enjoys time off
12. Works to live
13. Sometimes schedules and plans the day
14. Lacks self-discipline
15. Enjoys being a team player

Not everyone fits into either Type A or Type B; thus, Friedman and Rosenman also suggested Type AB. Note too, that their initial research was conducted with male subjects only and has been criticized for being too broad in description! Since then other researchers have suggested Type C personality. However, a much more accurate assessment of behavior is the DISC assessment. 

Type A personality - the worn out 1950s chair of Drs. Friedman & Rosenman's patients
Type A personality – the worn out 1950s chair of Drs. Friedman & Rosenman’s patients

Type C – People-pleaser, repressed emotions

1. Unassertive
2. Submissive/people-pleaser
3. Avoids conflict
4. Suppresses desires and wishes
5. Repressed emotions
6. Detail-oriented
7. Consistent
8. Follows rules
9. Introverted
10. Perfectionist
11. Analytical
12. Dependable
13. Prefers to work alone
14. Prone to depression
15. Prone to illness

It should also be noted that Tobacco companies found out about the work of Friedman and Rosenman in 1959 and thereafter funded most of their research. The tobacco industry wanted to push that smoking was safe, claiming that it was the tendency of many smokers to be Type A personalities that resulted in heart disease and other illnesses. The tobacco industry funded $11 million alone to Friedman’s institute in California!

As one might expect, Friedman and Rosenman did their bit to support the Tobacco industry:

“How you react to your environment plays perhaps a far more important part in bringing on a heart attack than what you eat, inhale, or how you exercise.”
Dr. Meyer Friedman stated in an interview in 1984.

“Dr. Friedman argued against anti-smoking legislation, citing his research to downplay cigarettes’ health effects. (He did not disclose that he received tobacco funding.) As for Dr. Rosenman, he also appeared in tobacco publications and prominently debated health experts – like the former president of the American Heart Association – about whether smoking or Type A behavior caused heart attacks.”  (source: Pricenomics)

Although, Friedman and Rosenman can be criticized for their support of the tobacco industry and specifically for arguing that smoking is safe or does not lead to heart disease, research today still supports one key principle: “toxic hostility” (hostility, anger and aggression) clearly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

"Because it's there!" Type A VS Type B Personality (cartoon by Bannerman)
“Because it’s there!” Type A VS Type B Personality (cartoon by Bannerman)

Compatibility – Love, work and relationships
If you review the descriptions of Types A and B, it is clearly evident that they are extreme opposites. And although, it is said “opposites attract”, extreme opposites rarely make great couples or strong foundations for relationships (romantic, familial or professional.) Although temperament can be opposite, values must be in alignment for any relationship to succeed.

When you put two people in a relationship and they have extremely dissimilar behaviors, there is a greater chance that they will clash (repel each other, experience conflict, and will seek to break-up) rather than complement each other. The behavior can also be a reflection of values and priorities. A person who is hostile, angry, impatient, and domineering will not make a good/complementary partner to someone who values patience, mindfulness, calmness and team playing. However, the above-mentioned descriptions are of behavior, and behavior can be changed when a person makes a conscious decision to do so. Simply beware of trying to change the other person’s behavior to your liking; it won’t work!

If you need personal help to change your behavior and become less stressed, depressed, angry or anxious, book a one-on-one session with me.

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I wish you the best and remind you “Believe in yourself -You deserve the best!”

Patrick Wanis Ph.D.
Celebrity Life Coach, Human Behavior & Relationship Expert & SRTT Therapist
www.patrickwanis.com

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