What is a type D personality and what is its relationship with hypothyroidism?
According to the Spanish Thyroid Cancer Association (AECAT), almost 40 percent of the population is unaware of the influence that the thyroid gland has on the state of health and well-being, and admits not knowing how to distinguish the symptoms that may alert that a related disease is developing. Research carried out in the United Kingdom reveals the possibility that hypothyroidism develops more frequently in people with a type D personality, in which a series of negative psychological characteristics are met. What is a person with a type D personality like? The type D personality develops in negative people par excellence, all of whom tend to experience negative feelings on a regular basis, are pessimistic and have certain problems relating to society, as well as expressing their feelings. People with a type D personality tend to be quite insecure, dissatisfied and often suffer from anxiety or depression. Experiencing negative feelings at a specific time or stage in your life does not make you a person with a type D personality. These people maintain a negative and pessimistic state for the vast majority of their lives, regardless of the circumstances. There are currently tests capable of measuring social inhibition and negative affectivity, two basic characteristics of the type D personality. Due in part to their constant state of worry and stress, people with this type of personality are more likely to suffer from diseases, including hypothyroidism. Furthermore, once they are undergoing treatments to alleviate these pathologies, the results in patients with a type D personality are worse compared to those who suffer from the same disease but have another type of personality. Early recognition and diagnosis of the type D personality is crucial to be able to solve the difficulties it entails, and improve the quality of life of the affected person. Thyroid gland and hypothyroidism The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly and is located in the front of the neck. Its activity is essential for optimal health, as it is responsible for producing, storing and releasing thyroid hormones into the blood, which are essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system and regulating metabolism. On the other hand, these hormones are responsible for controlling heart rate, regulating body temperature and blood sugar. In addition, they are essential for carrying out various neuronal and digestive functions. When thyroid hormones are not at adequate levels and thyroid dysfunction occurs, it can lead to various pathologies, such as thyroid nodules, hyperthyroidism or multinodular goiter. Although, by far, the most common disease that occurs in the thyroid gland is hypothyroidism, whose main characteristic is that it causes a slowdown in metabolism. Hypothyroidism often has confusing and imprecise symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue or low intolerance to cold, which make it difficult to diagnose. In addition, around 7% of people affected by hypothyroidism do not present any symptoms. Women over forty years of age are the highest risk group when it comes to suffering from this disease. On the other hand, newborns of hyperthyroid mothers are more likely to be born with this pathology, and will have to take medication for the rest of their lives. Hypothyroidism can be easily detected through a simple blood test. People with hypothyroidism and type D personality The study that links people with type D personality and a greater possibility of suffering from hypothyroidism was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The research, carried out by experts from the University of Newcastle (United Kingdom), involved more than 3,500 people who had previously been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. All of them were asked a series of questions about their lifestyle and the treatment they were receiving for the disease. The results indicated that people with type D personality understood the results of the process in a more negative way, many of these patients expressed constant worry and lack of security regarding the treatment they received, and also experienced persistent symptoms for which no explanation could be found. Although this study opens an interesting line of research, more precise investigations are needed through further studies to determine the relationship between hypothyroidism and this type of personality.