Personality and Health

The relationship between anger-related personality traits and cardiac autonomic response in healthy elderly subjects was examined. In female participants higher trait anger was positively associated with elevated carotid intima-medial thickness (IMT), used to evaluate atherosclerotic progression, and suppression of heart rate variability (HRV) vagal attenuation from the supine to head-up position. It was negatively associated with HRV sympathetic activity in the head-up position and the HRV sympathetic response from the supine to head-up position. In male subjects trait anger was not significantly associated with carotid IMT or any HRV component with or without head-up tilt testing. The authors conclude that short-term HVR with head-up tilt testing could be a useful method to investigate associations between cardiac autonomic imbalance and increased risk of arteriosclerosis associated with trait anger in the healthy elderly.

It is very important to not self-diagnosis.  With so much information available to us on the Internet today this can be tempting, but mental health issues can have very real effects on your function and needs the attention of a mental health professional.

Because of the wide variety of reasons that can cause experience symptoms and the complexities and subtleties of professional diagnosis and treatment, feel free to call me to discuss further. I am experienced and trained in a variety of treatment and assessment methods.  Contact a licensed mental health professional or your family doctor if you have concerns.  Prairie Owl Psychology & Counselling is waiting to help with all your Edmonton psychologist needs, call Today.