Personality Traits

Recent science suggests that certain personality traits may play a role in chronic pain and symptoms. One reason for this could be that some traits contribute to prolonged stress, which can interfere with healing and keep the pain-fear cycle active. It’s important to remember that these traits are not inherently negative, they are a natural part of being human. At some point in your life, these traits likely served a purpose, whether it was helping you through a difficult time, achieving a goal, or creating a sense of safety in an unpredictable environment. The intention here is not to get rid of them, but to notice which traits are still helping and where you might invite more flexibility.

Resources:

New Evidence For Pain Personality

22 Personality Traits:

Being a perfectionist

Having high expectations of yourself
Being conscientious
Being hard on yourself
Being overly responsible
Frequently feeling guilty
Often worrying
Wanting to be good or liked
Being a rule-follower
Having difficulty letting go
Having difficulty making decisions
Tending to hold in thoughts and feelings
Frequently hostile or aggressive
Having rage or resentment
Being cautious, shy or reserved
Having low self-esteem
Feeling dependent on others
Putting others' needs first
Frequently feeling sad
Hypervigilant - highly alert to potential dangers or threats.
Prone to catastrophizing
Generally fearful in life approach

JOURNAL PROMPT

How many of the personality traits did you mark off?