What was the patient’s personality like before getting sick?
Do they like to talk? Or not?
How do they get along with others?
…
Many doctors ask these questions when patients first visit, indicating that understanding personality is helpful for diagnosing mental illnesses.
In fact, since the ancient Greek Hippocrates proposed the “humor theory,” humans have been paying attention to the relationship between personality and diseases. With the development of modern medicine, it is even more evident that there is a certain correlation between personality and diseases.
Personality is a stable psychological trait, representing an individual’s attitude and behavioral patterns towards reality. Personality development is related to genetics but is also greatly influenced by the upbringing environment.
Personality is closely related to health, as negative personalities can affect various aspects of physical health. For example, anger and irritability can trigger high blood pressure and heart disease; sensitive and suspicious personalities are prevalent among mental health patients.
Aside from these, what other types of personalities are prone to triggering mental illnesses?
Personalities prone to triggering mental illnesses
1. Paranoid Personality
These individuals are stubborn and like to “hit a wall,” sensitive, jealous, or blame others; prone to outbursts and conflicts with others; they are opinionated and dismissive of others’ opinions in work and life.
People with paranoid personalities often have poor interpersonal relationships due to their stubbornness, refusal to listen, and argumentative nature, making others unwilling to work with them.
If not controlled in time, this type of personality can develop into paranoid personality disorder.
2. Depressive Personality
People with a depressive personality are more likely to fall into pessimism, dejection, and melancholy emotions, finding it hard to overcome unpleasant situations and contradictions in life. They often feel life is meaningless, lack enjoyment, have low self-esteem, compare themselves negatively to others, and lose confidence.
They tend to view things with a negative and pessimistic attitude, full of dark and sad thoughts about their current situation and future. In reality, things are much better than they imagine; they just tend to accumulate negative emotions.
If not adjusted in time, a depressive personality can potentially lead to depression under certain stimuli.
3. Obsessive Personality
People with an obsessive personality often pay excessive attention to details, have high demands for everything, repeatedly check and verify their plans, fearing mistakes that could hinder timely completion of work.
They overly value work results and do not consider their gains or others’ feelings; when collaborating with others, they often require strict compliance with their ways. If in a leadership position, they tend to be overly involved and distrustful of others’ work.
If not controlled in time, this personality can develop into Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
4. Schizoid Personality
Individuals with a schizoid personality often lead a lazy, isolated, shy lifestyle, staying silent most of the time, being timid, avoiding social interactions, enjoying solitude and living based on their own rules and pleasures, indulging in inner fantasies but lacking action. They are prone to getting stuck in situations, finding it hard to fulfill responsibilities, and being indifferent towards others.
The biggest danger of a schizoid personality is its potential development into schizophrenia.
5. Loner Personality
Individuals with a loner personality tend to isolate themselves, believing that interacting with people will lead to harm. They lack friends and spend most of their time alone, apart from work and study, isolating themselves emotionally due to severe mental trauma, leading to self-isolation and a higher risk of various mental illnesses.
Such individuals are at risk of developing schizophrenia or suicidal tendencies during emotional lows.
Answers about personality
1. Will having the above personalities definitely lead to mental illnesses?
Not necessarily.
We know that the causes of mental illnesses are complex, results from the interaction of multiple factors, and no specific personality type guarantees a mental illness. Although the mentioned personalities may trigger mental illnesses, trying to change the less desirable aspects of our personalities may help us steer clear of mental health troubles.
2. Does personality remain unchanged after formation?
Every person’s personality is malleable. In fact, many people undergo significant personality changes after experiencing various situations, like becoming more composed and less impatient after a severe illness, or becoming more generous and beginning to enjoy life. Therefore, it’s essential to constantly refine and change our personalities at any stage of life.
Final words
People with similar personalities as mentioned above need not worry too much, as only a small fraction of individuals develop various mental illnesses due to a combination of genetic and adverse environmental factors.
In reality, there is no such thing as a “perfect personality”; each person’s personality has unique strengths and weaknesses. I hope that after understanding your personality traits, you can acknowledge and accept yourself, learn to self-regulate, make positive changes, and stay away from illness and pain.
References:
[1] Liu Lei. Can negative personalities lead to mental illness? Health Compilation. 2021;22(19):71.
[2] Hao Wei, Lu Lin. Psychiatry. 8th edition. Beijing: People’s Health Publishing House. 2018.
