Fr. Dale Matson
As a retired psychologist
suffering from Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) I find it both interesting and
ironic that the concept of the Type A Personality was coined not by psychologists
but by cardiologists, Doctors Friedman & Rosenman. They found that the Type
A personality had characteristics, which made them more vulnerable to heart
disease. The three personality factors are competitiveness,
time urgency and hostility. This was further refined and referred to as “Type
A Behavior Pattern” (TABP). https://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-a.html.
By the end of their study, 70% of those men judged as TABP developed heart
disease. They were twice as likely to develop heart disease as a comparison
group of Type B individuals that did not exhibit the same three personality
characteristics.
Other research also points
to an inability to deal with stress. http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20030722/type-triggers-heart-disease
What I also find
interesting is that the usual list of risk
factors for heart disease does not even list the TABP. The Mayo Clinic
lists the following:
Age,
Sex, Family history, Smoking, Poor diet, High blood pressure, High blood
cholesterol levels, Diabetes, Obesity, Lack of exercise, Stress, Poor hygiene. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/basics/risk-factors/con-20034056.
I really believe the role personality plays in heart disease is understated.
I had only two of the listed
heart disease risk factors. I am a
male and over 70 years old. However as a Christian I can reflect on a third
risk factor that is more important. Both Old and New Testament use the phrase “hardness
of heart”. Hardness of heart can be understood to mean many things but the Internet
includes, “being incapable of being moved to pity or tenderness; unfeeling.
Synonyms: unfeeling, heartless, cold, hard, callous,
unsympathetic, uncaring, unloving, unconcerned, indifferent, unmoved, unkind,
uncharitable, unemotional, cold-hearted, cold-blooded, mean-spirited,
stony-hearted, having a heart of stone, as hard as nails, cruel.”
Unfortunately, while there are a host
of pills to treat most of the heart disease risk factors, there is no personality pill that will transform the
hard heart of the person with TABP. How
many cardiologists would say to a patient, “Your personality is the main reason
you have heart disease. You need to change who you are.”?
Yet
this is exactly what the theological process of Sanctification calls
each of us to do as we mature in the faith. Sanctification doesn’t just
mean becoming holy. It also means becoming whole. It means, putting off the old
man and putting on Christ. “…To put
off your old self, who belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt
through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and
to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness
and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
I resonate with St. Paul when he
states, “…For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11b). Notice however, that contentment is the result of a learning
process, especially for me. I am still learning to be content.
I also think the fruit of the Spirit is
an antidote to the poisonous turmoil within the person with TABP. “But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no
law.” (Galatians 5:22-23). Can you imagine the treatment plan for the hard
hearted in general and the hard hearted person with CAD in particular if these
fruits increasingly manifested themselves in their daily life? Isn’t a diet
high in fruit, good for the heart? For me I think that patience and peace in
particular would be the Balm of Gilead.
Loreena Mckennitt has a wonderful
haunting song titled “Full Circle” http://www.metrolyrics.com/full-circle-lyrics-loreena-mckennitt.html.
Her
final lyrics state, “In your heart, in your soul, did you find peace there? If
only, Lord help me. Amen
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