Torontonians live in a high-pressure society that presents a constant struggle between financial security and wellbeing. There are now more factors that contribute to stress than ever. According to a poll done by Global News, 90% of respondents agree that it is becoming more difficult for the average person to live in
Toronto, and 51% say they're living paycheque to paycheque. Prices of housing, groceries, and other necessities are rising rapidly, making it even more difficult for people to make ends meet.
Surprisingly, a huge component of how well you may be dealing with stresses like these is your
personality. You have probably heard of type B and type A personalities, but elements of the less common type C and D personalities also have a huge effect on your physical and mental health in relation to managing stress.
Read on to find out which personality accurately describes you, and what you can do to minimize stress and maximize your health.
Imagine that you are living in an apartment and don't have enough money to pay next month's rent.
In this situation, people with type A personalities would react by worrying immensely about this issue, and may outwardly express their stress by acting bitter or unsympathetic toward their landlord, which would cause circumstances to worsen. People with type A personalities tend to exhibit competitiveness, time urgency, and hostility. They are quick to
overreact and are easily agitated. This would be considered an unhealthy personality because their high-strung mindset often leads to a weakened immune system,
hypertension, and heart disease.
In contrast, people with type B personalities would most likely react by calmly speaking to their landlord about the conflict, paying what they can afford, and accepting the consequences. Those with type B personalities tend to have more relaxed,
“it is what it is” kind of attitudes. They handle things as they come and outwardly express their feelings in a healthy way.
Type C personalities are extremely suppressive and non-assertive. They keep their opinions and fears internalized, which can lead to mental health issues like depression in the long run. They would not make an effort to resolve the issue with their landlord and would refrain from venting to friends or family because they do not generally express their emotions. Lack of expression is a significant problem for people with type C personalities.
The type D personality describes people who are constantly
“distressed”. They have an overall negative outlook on life and avoid social contact. They would think that the situation is hopeless and would not bother making an effort to fix the issue because they don't believe they are competent enough and do not think there is a point.
It is possible to be a combination of personalities, and you can change your personality type in the same way that you can change your mindset or your habits. To take a free detailed personality test, visit
this personality test.
No matter what personality type you are, there are general ways in which you can
reduce stress. Exercising regularly, engaging socially, accepting and letting go of things you can't change, and confronting the stressful situation instead of avoiding it are all ways to reduce stress and improve wellbeing. Another increasingly popular form of stress management is mindfulness meditation, which focuses on being present all the time and not worrying about things that have happened in the past or might happen in the future.
If you're dealing with unhealthy amounts of stress, there are many resources available to you in Toronto that can help. Check out the links below for more information:
