Type A Behavior
Your Stress Personality
To find out what your stress
personality is, ask yourself these questions:
- Do you try to be on time for all meetings and appointments?
- Do you get upset when someone else is late for an appointment?
- Would you describe yourself as competitive?
- Is getting ahead more important to you than anything else in life?
- Do you like to do several things at one time?
- Do you feel rushed most of the time?
- Do you do things fast (i.e., walk fast, talk fast, eat fast)?
- Do you spend most of your time at work, to the exclusion of all other activities?
- Do you feel upset if you have to wait in line or for traffic or for an appointment?
If you have four or more "yeses," you exhibit Type A behavior.
Less than four "yes" responses describes the Type B personality.
Stress, Cholesterol, and the Heart
The link between stress and cholesterol levels in the blood has been well-documented. Two classic studies provide the evidence. In the first, cholesterol levels of accountants were measured before and after the April 15th tax deadline. In the other, medical students' levels were tested, both before and after major exams. In both cases, cholesterol levels rose before and fell after the deadlines.
Dr. Kenneth Pellitier finds that those individuals with a deeper spiritual dimension and belief in a higher power have significant protection from heart disease.
The important thing to remember here is that one does not have to go from being a classic Type A to the serene, calm image of Type B. You can still expect to be competitive in your business dealings. You can still be punctual in your meetings. You can still be driven to achieve your goals, whatever they may be. It's the anger and hostility you need to work on.
Relaxation therapy combined with exercise reduce the occurrence of both cardiac events and hospital readmissions in patients following heart attacks. It is also believed to be a primary way to manage Type A behavior.
Type A's need to practice what Nebraska cardiologist Robert Elliott recommends:
- Don't sweat the small stuff.
- It's all small stuff.
- When you can't fight and you can't flee ... flow.
