"Infuriating people" is not just a casual comment! Study: People with an "irritable constitution" are 3 times more likely to have heart disease
Is anger prone to heart disease? Are there any differences in gender or genes?
“Don’t be angry” may sound like a cliché about self-cultivation at first, but the frequency and intensity of anger may indeed directly affect health and may also be a predictor of coronary heart disease.
A retrospective study in the past found that people with higher anger and hostility tendencies have a 19% increased overall risk of coronary heart disease and a 24% increased risk of poor prognosis. And the impact of anger and hostility on health appears to be gender-specific, with men appearing to be more at risk than women. The “Journal of the American Heart Association” also published statistics showing that men who rated themselves as the most angry had three times the risk of coronary heart disease than men who felt the least angry.
Why are men most likely to have heart attacks due to anger? May be genetically influenced. The “warrior gene” MAO-A (monooxygenase-A), which is considered to be related to aggressive behavior, is also known as the violence gene. A large Dutch family genetic study found that men who commit violence and crimes tend to have MOA-A activity. Missing.
Hostility is the enemy of heart health
In addition to gender factors, there have also been inferences in the past about the relationship between “personality traits” and the risk of heart disease. In the early days, “Type A personality” was considered to be twice as likely to suffer from heart disease as others. They like to compete, enjoy power and praise, and don’t like to waste time, but they are also easily angered. As long as Type A personalities are told that they are competing with others, their blood pressure and heartbeat will immediately spike.
However, follow-up research found that things were not that simple. Overall Type A personality behavioral traits are thought to be only weakly or not related to coronary heart disease. As scientists continued to dig deeper, they discovered that the real culprit may be “hostility.”
“Highly hostile people are not necessarily violent or domineering. On the contrary, they react strongly to the frustrations and inconveniences of daily life. Even when they encounter slightly annoying things, they will express protests, displeasure, unreasonableness, rudeness, pickiness and uncooperativeness.” Compared to those with low anger, those with high anger were more than twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease. What is even more alarming is that participants with high anger were almost three times more likely to be hospitalized or die from heart disease.
Why is hostility associated with coronary heart disease? Researchers have identified possible links including unhealthy lifestyles, lack of social support, immune system deficiencies and blood lipid concentrations. Other studies have found that people with high levels of anger often experience physiological reactions related to coronary artery problems, such as high blood pressure." (See pages 194-195 of “Personality Psychology”)
Prone to risky behavior
People with behavioral traits of high anger are usually prone to dangerous behaviors. There are many similar views at home and abroad in ancient and modern times. “Xunzi: Honor and Shame”: “Those who fight are those who forget their own bodies, their relatives, and their kings.” A moment of anger can cost you a lifetime. “People who like to be aggressive and aggressive often ignore their own physical condition, and are more likely to ignore the dissuasion of their relatives, friends and even their bosses. They may pay for their anger just for a moment. Last life.
Although personality traits cannot be changed instantly, as long as you are aware of them, you have already taken the first step to change. There are various ways to combat being overwhelmed by hostility, such as exercising, listening to music, engaging in cognitive tasks that engage the frontal cortex, and of course, seeking professional psychological counseling.
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