What Personality Types Are Prone to Stress?

¶ … stress-Prone personalities and give examples for each.

The classic stress-prone personality is that of the Type A personality. This person is the typical 'workaholic' who is perfectionistic and has unreasonable standards for him or herself and others. The Type A person lives in a constant state of stress arousal and as a result has "chronically elevated high blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides" (Stress-prone and stress-resistant personalities, 2014, Nursing Student Support 4). He or she is frequently worried about wasting time and tries to 'multitask' which results in a lack of enjoyment of life and the present moment, despite the desire to be constantly productive. Type As often become enraged at small, perceived abuses such as someone cutting them off in traffic. Certain societies seem uniquely apt to produce Type A personalities: environment characterized by an "urban lifestyle; material wealth; immediate gratification" and intense "competitiveness" overall (Stress-prone and stress-resistant personalities, 2014, Nursing Student Support 4).

However famous Type A personalities may be as being stress-prone, other personality types exhibit alternative types of stressful, negative behaviors. Codependent personalities who become overly involved in the lives of others and who attempt to manage the crises of other people at the expense of their own needs often experience stress and anxiety (Stress-prone and stress-resistant personalities, 2014, Nursing Student Support 6). Codependent persons may attach themselves to people with severe problems (such as alcoholics) as a way of feeling needed. At the other end of the 'control freak' spectrum, 'helpless' personality types are unable to develop a sense of agency over their own lives and behaviors and tend to blame external events for things they can control, such as constantly blaming the weather for the fact that they are always late rather than attempting to leave the house earlier (Stress-prone and stress-resistant personalities, 2014, Nursing Student Support 7).

Q2. List the stress-resistant personalities and give an example of each.

While some personalities are uniquely stress-prone, other personalities are noteworthy for being relatively 'stress-resistant' or able to show resiliency in the face of adversity. In fact, some people seem to feed off of stress in a positive way. They are called 'Type Rs' or Type Resilient. Often, they are sensation-seekers and are extremely adventurous by nature. "These people interpret stressful situations positively and optimistically, and respond to stress constructively, as a result incidence of illness and emotional dysfunction under stressful conditions is considerably below the norm" (Stress-prone and stress-resistant personalities, 2014, Nursing Student Support 7). They have an exceedingly high locus of control and take responsibility for their actions. Events around them are perceived as being the result of their own actions, rather than the actions of others. Resilient personality types are also less prone to mood swings and being affected by internal doubts than average (Personality type, 2013, My forgotten pen). They often need less sleep and are less affected by external conditions than their counterparts.

Conversely, Type B personalities are relatively laid back when compared with their Type A and even their Type R counterparts. Type B personalities are relaxed, uncompetitive and take life 'as it comes.' They are able to wait relatively uncomplainingly, in comparison to Type As. When compared with Type A personalities, they have significantly lower rates of heart disease and other stress-related disorders (McLeod 2011). They are natural optimists and rather than viewing others as hostile and the world as a 'rat race' they see their fellow human beings in a positive light and expect the best.

Q3. Describe self-esteem and explain what role it plays in promoting and resolving stress.

Stress in life is inevitable. It is important to have the necessary psychological tools to deal with stress. Self-esteem is often said to be the best antidote to stress. "Possessing little self-regard can lead people to become depressed, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships" (What is self-esteem, 2014, Psychology Today). The self-esteem movement in America has often been criticized for encouraging people to 'feel good' about themselves in a baseless fashion. However, true self-esteem means having a realistic perception of the self, not unrealistically negative or unrealistically positive. Someone with unrealistically low self-esteem may say to him or herself: 'I am so stupid; I can't cope with anything,' an attitude which makes it difficult to deal with stress. Or the individual may believe that events and people are inevitably aligned against him or her rather than take proactive actions to change personal behaviors or the environment.