Bad news: Hypothyroidism causes “Type D” personality

Living with hypothyroidism is challenging, as it affects both physical and mental health.

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism has just opened up a new angle on this condition: its relationship with personality, specifically a type called “Type D” personality.

And that may be very bad news.

Type D, or “distressed” personality, is characterized by a tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as avoidance of social interactions. People with this personality type often struggle to express their emotions, which can lead to poorer mental health and increased health risks, including cardiovascular issues.

This again shows that our bodies and minds are intricately connected. Hormones, the chemical messengers of our bodies, play a crucial role in regulating not just our physical health but also our mood, behavior, and now, our personality.

The study demonstrates how important it is to treat hypothyroidism before it saddles you with a personality type that causes severe distress.

The research, known as the E-MPATHY study, surveyed individuals from around the world with treated hypothyroidism. The main goal was to understand the prevalence of Type D personality in these individuals and how it affects their lives.

The scientists gathered responses from 3,915 individuals, with 3,523 valid responses analyzed.

They did this through an online questionnaire that collected data on various aspects of the participants’ lives, including their personality type, symptom control, satisfaction with treatment, and the impact of hypothyroidism on daily living.

The study yielded several interesting findings:

1. More than half (54.2%) of the participants with hypothyroidism displayed Type D personality traits. This is important, as Type D personality is linked with higher levels of distress and negative emotions.

2. There were notable associations between Type D personality and various factors such as young and old age, single and divorced status, white ethnicity, and above and below average income.

3. Participants with Type D personality were more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and somatization (the manifestation of psychological distress through physical symptoms).

4. Those with Type D personality reported poorer control of hypothyroidism symptoms despite treatment and were less satisfied with their care and treatment.

5. Hypothyroidism had a more negative impact on the daily lives of individuals with Type D personality.

Therefore, not only does hypothyroidism seem to coincide with Type D personality, but it also worsens the physical health, hypothyroidism symptoms, and daily lives of patients who struggle with these two conditions.

The good news is that thousands of readers have completely healed their hypothyroidism (and boycotted Type D personality traits) using the simple lifestyle changes explained here…