Key Takeaways


  • Type D personality individuals are deep thinkers who stick to their comfort zone. They live a distressed, and boring life.
  • They always think negatively and fear rejection. They are scared of risks and changes.
  • Emotional build-up and negative lifestyle lead to problems like anxiety disorders, chronic inflammation, and poor immune system.
  • The D types are mentally stable, organized, and sincere towards work. They follow their routines religiously.
  • They are caring and emotional, but they often fail to express their emotions. Type D(s) can be easily agitated or hurt.

In a Type D personality, the ‘D’ stands for distressed.

Yes, as saddening as it may sound, Type Ds are always depressed!

They tend to overthink situations and complicate scenarios. They also tend to avoid social interactions and have a negative thought process. But that’s not all about Type D individuals.

On the flip side of these depressing habits, they also have some brilliant qualities that help them succeed in their professional life.

If you want to know whether or not you belong to the type D category, or if you want to help a type D personality in living a happy and relaxed life, the article can be of great help to you.

First, let us begin with the understanding of type D personality!

D Type Personality Infographics

D Type Personality Meaning, Traits & Strengths
D Type Personality Meaning, Traits & Strengths
D Type Personality Weaknesses, Ideal Jobs & What to do if you are a Type D Personality
D Type Personality Weaknesses, Ideal Jobs & What to do if you are a Type D Personality

What is Type D personality?

SUMMARY
D type personality is identified as distressed people. They are uncomfortable meeting new people, making new changes, or even new beginnings. They have a negative thought process that leads to a pessimistic lifestyle.

Type D personalities have a peaceful approach to their work and living style. They are hardly seen rushing for something. Usually, they are seen following an easy and slow pace while working.

Further, they prefer a permanent job over a creative job that does not guarantee security. This is because they long for stability even if they have to repeat the same task every day in their office.

However, this also adds a star-trait to their personality: stability. Repeating a certain task, again and again, builds up their skills.

Type-Ds are extremely rigid and fear changes. They like clinging to their own knowledge and living patterns rather than adapting to new patterns.

Even if they do not enjoy their current living, they would find it better than trying something new. In short, type D personalities don’t like risks and new changes.

If you want to know more about type D people’s behavior in detail, you can check this article out. 

However if you want to focus on their traits in general, then keep scrolling…

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Type D personality traits

Type D personality was identified by Belgian psychologist and researcher Johan Denollet in the 1990s.

D type personalities are not as creative as other personalities. They rather stick to a sedentary lifestyle and follow a similar living pattern than bidding it against a creative job.

Other than that, here’s a list of a few significant characteristics and traits of the D type personalities:

1. They remain negative about the future 

D-types are extremely pessimistic about their life and don’t think highly of themselves. They believe that they can’t do anything great in their life. Or, that even if they tried, they won’t get anywhere. They always underestimate their capabilities.

2. They have a pessimistic outlook towards life

Type D individuals always see the glass half empty. They can’t focus on the brighter side of life. Even if they land a great job, they feel scared of the future challenges. Or, if there’s nothing negative about something, they pass it off as sheer luck and ignore it.

3. They lack self-confidence

People with type D personalities are always insecure about themselves. Even if they have something to be proud of or become someone remarkable, they will still focus on what they lack. They put themselves down for no reason.

4. D type personalities are socially inhibited

They also avoid social interaction as much as possible. If they attend social events, they avoid eye contact so nobody can notice them. This prevents others from striking up a conversation with them. It’s usually because they are afraid of getting closer to others.

5. They fear rejection or an unfair judgment

They are afraid of being rejected or judged wrongfully. Often, they subconsciously compare themselves with others. When they introduce themselves, they overthink if others will look down on them for anything. They worry over which detail to hide to avoid getting pushed away.

6. They mostly feel negative emotions

You can be happy, sad, angry, excited, thankful, and the list goes on with all sorts of emotions. However, D-types mostly feel negative emotions. They almost never feel happy and even if they do, it’s only for a little while. You might feel upset to hang out with them because of this habit.

7. They are a pro at monotonous tasks

While most others eventually get bored with repetitive things, the type D person enjoys it a lot. Since it becomes a fixed routine, they feel comfortable and confident to achieve the goal of the day. It soothes them when they don’t need to prepare from scratch. 

8. They can’t cope with sudden negative surprises

As mentioned above, they feel more at peace when they lead a monotonous and routine life. On the other hand, if any responsibility or situation springs up out of the blue, they feel anxious. They get worried because they can’t keep up with their original plans. 

9. They never mistreat others

D-types are kind to say the least. They believe that everyone suffers in this world, so they show more care, love, and affection to people to help them cope with their darkest hours. They aren’t usually optimistic, but they try hard to say positive things to people in need. 

10. They have lots of backups

Since they are always anxious about negative possibilities, they are always prepared with good backup. Unless they do, they can’t sleep at night or undertake the tasks confidently. They feel compelled to create backup plans and this eventually pays them off.

Those who have D type personalities are often found anxious and deserted. Yes, all human beings can feel isolated and panicky at times but this feeling is more prominent, particular, and frequent in D types of personalities. 

There are many more such traits of the type D personality, so don’t forget to know them better here!

To know more about the traits of D type personalities, you may also look into their strengths and weaknesses:


Type D Personality Strengths

Everyone in this world is born with certain strengths and weaknesses. However, it has been found that a particular type of personality features particular types of strengths and weaknesses.

These strengths listed below will be more prominent and significant in type D personality when compared to other personality types.

So, let’s dig in:

1. They don’t talk unnecessarily

They prefer to keep things low-key, so they can easily keep calm in any situation. Sometimes, you don’t want to gain the attention of the wrong person or your job demands you to keep a low profile. In these circumstances, a type D person can stay perfectly quiet.

2. They are caring and compassionate

When these people find genuinely needy ones, they show them lots of love and care. Since D-types are usually emotionally distressed and insecure, they want to feel good by doing remarkable deeds. So, they often devote themselves to selfless service. 

3. They are sincere and deep-thinkers

When they create plans and ideas, they think a lot about it. They are always worried about whether their choices will impact others negatively. Due to their deep thinking and sincerity, they also plan enough to deal with possible setbacks in the future.

4. They are strong advisors

D-types can mediate conflicts and help everyone reach a middle ground. With their good problem-solving skills and negative thinking, they can identify the existing issue and more prospective ones quickly. So, they can help resolve issues better than others.

5. They don’t stand for injustice

D-types never bully others or side with the bully to save their a$$. They may not be strong enough to save others, but they won’t definitely support the bullies to get on their good side. They’d rather walk out of such situations and show that they won’t be intimidated by them.

Just like their strength type D personalities have some weaknesses too. Let’s have a look at the same:

Type D Personality Weaknesses

A D type personality may not necessarily have all these weaknesses at once. But they will definitely have some common weaknesses from the list.

While the most common weakness of this personality type is being extremely closed, Type-Ds also tend to resist change and fail to express emotions.

That’s not it. There are a few more… Let’s find out!

1. They can’t speak for themselves

If they ever get blamed for something, they will silently listen to all of it without a word. They are too timid to speak out or protect themselves. Instead, they get mistreated as they can’t convey their thoughts transparently. 

2. They are prone to being taken advantage of

Type Ds are always open to support people in need. Their heart goes out to the less fortunate ones. However, they don’t have a sharp enough intuition to understand whether the other person genuinely needs the help. So, often they might get used by sly and selfish people.

3. They unwillingly agree to everything

D-types are quite agreeable because they don’t want to be a burden to others. So, if people ask them something, they give in to their demands even if that’s something uncomfortable. They act like people-pleasers so they don’t get into conflicts or hurt others.

4. Constant change overwhelms them

They like to lead a routine life at a certain pace. Repeated tasks and predictable schedules make them comfortable. However, if they face change regularly, they feel anxious. They have difficulty coping with such situations and are afraid of what problems they might face.

5. They go to great lengths to avoid conflict

D-types hate to face conflicts and confrontations, so they do everything possible to get out of such situations. It might be because they don’t want to hurt them or they feel anxious about how the situation will end up.

But this puts them in far worse situations.If you want to know about more of such strengths and weaknesses of type Ds, here you go!

Next up, if you want you can take a glimpse of the fears, dislikes, and turn-offs of type D personality, keep reading.


Type D Personality Fears, Dislikes, and Turn Offs

A bad start with the morning routine can spoil the entire day for D type personalities. This is because they are extremely uncomfortable with changes even if it is temporary. They can also be put off by frequent social gatherings as they like to be in their own shell.

While these are some common turn-offs, fears, and dislikes of type D personalities the list has a few more.

1. Risks

D-types are always worried about the worst situation, so they are afraid of taking even the slightest risks. They don’t have faith in what life might bring them, so they never take chances. They’re afraid that one wrong decision might make them regret it for the rest of their lives. 

2. Persistent people

Type Ds are socially inhibited, and some people force them to socialize to “fix” them. Due to the poor convincing skills of D-types, they can’t even firmly refuse them. So, they dislike being around persistent people that can’t respect their boundaries.

3. Constant undesirable change

Ds enjoy a life with fixed schedules and dislike the wrong kind of spontaneity. Of course, it’s okay if anyone surprises them with their favorite food. But if there’s any change with the serious parts of life, that too regularly, they can’t deal with it for too long.

4. Instability 

They sincerely hope that they won’t ever face any kind of instability in their life. They want their financial, personal, and professional life to be equally steady. Otherwise, they feel so stressed that they lose focus of their responsibilities. This in turn delays what needs to be done.

5. Untidiness

Type D people also can’t stay in untidy environments. They worry that they won’t be able to find things when they need them and feel a strong urge to tidy up before they start working.

Their space is always organized and they dislike it if anyone misplaces their items.To know more such fears and turn offs of type Ds, don’t forget to check this!

Now that you already know about the strengths, weaknesses, dislikes, turn-offs, and fear of D types, why should you miss on their liking!

Let’s look at things that can motivate type D personality:


Type D Personality Motivators

Type D personalities get motivated by things that have proven results of benefit. They are absolute team players and work the best in a peaceful environment. That’s not it, there are more things that can motivate this personality type.

Here you go with the list of things that can vibe up their spirit:

1. Stability and security

Type Ds fear instability and insecurity a lot as that makes them anxious. On the other hand, if there’s stability and security, that can make them feel more charged up to focus on other aspects. They won’t overthink negatives and instead show more courage to chase the heights.

2. Benefits

They often want to resign from their job ASAP because they feel stressed from work. They put lots of effort into their work and never want to put others in a tight situation. So, if you pay them well enough or offer other benefits, they won’t flee because of the pressure. 

3. Zero risk tasks

Even if they don’t step out of their comfort zone, they feel anxious about the results of their efforts. So, they will flee from any responsibility that carries risks. However, if you entrust them with tasks that have no risks or hazards, they’ll be much more willing to do it.

4. Steady routine

A routine life with monotonous tasks and predictable expectations also excites a type D. They find it soothing as they don’t need to prepare for anything new and most of their tasks are engraved in their muscle memory. 

This boosts their confidence that they can perform better and they feel more willing to work.

5. Calm workspace

If their workspace or environment is calm, the D-type person can focus much better and work efficiently. Without any sort of disturbance, they can complete their responsibilities without letting their mind wander to negative thoughts. 

Moreover, a chaotic space stresses them and interferes with their speed and efficiency.

If you thought that’s all, you’re so wrong! You can learn more ways to motivate a type D here!

Now let’s move on to know about their physical health…


Physical Health of Type D Personality

SUMMARY
D type personalities often struggle with physical health because of poor emotional health. A depressed lifestyle leads to severe anxiety which in turn, becomes the root cause for several physical diseases.

The habit of suppressing negative thoughts and emotions often puts D type personality at potential risk of developing coronary heart disease, chronic inflammation, and poor immune systems. Living such an anxious and stressful life brings a lot of health-related challenges for them as well.

High levels of stress and anxiety can cause increased blood pressure and even diabetes. Even though doctors work their best to understand to help the patient, type D personalities are difficult to deal with.

Early research by Denollet also concluded that type D traits can be extremely harmful to physical health.

In surveying over 300 patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program, they found that approximately 27% of type D patients had died within the following 10 years, as compared to only 6% in the group not identified with type D personality traits.

Additionally, among almost 900 patients who underwent coronary artery surgery, type D patients were over four times more likely to have a heart attack or die within nine months of their surgery.

Just like their physical health, their emotional health is also prone to many attacks. The D-type personalities struggle a lot while learning to let out what they feel inside. To be honest, there’s a whole roller coaster that jumps inside a D-type’s mind.


Emotional Health of Type D Personality 

SUMMARY
D type personalities don’t share their feelings with others because of the fear of rejection and judgment. It takes them time to trust people with their emotions and personal life.

Nobody can stay emotionally fit and Happy 24 x 7. There are situations and circumstances that leave anyone in a vulnerable state. But nevertheless, people tend to let go of it with time.  

Sometimes, you may feel absolutely devastated by the emotional distress and cannot keep up with it. This is the time when you feel a sudden urge to reveal your inner self to your loved ones and trustworthy friends.

But this is not the case with Type D personalities. They are absolutely closed to the idea of sharing thoughts and feelings. They are too scared to express their heart.

Let’s try to understand what’s the reason behind the D types being so reserved about their thoughts and feelings.

1. They fear rejection and judgment

One of the reasons can be the fear of being judged by others. They fear rejection and it is very difficult for them to accept others’ negative opinions about their personality.

D-types believe that exposing the vulnerable side of life can pull down their self-image drastically. This creates a barrier in their mind and they keep suppressing their true emotions.  

2. They take time to build trust

Another reason why they don’t reveal their feelings to others is that it takes them considerable time to develop trust, especially when they are not in a calm or happy state of mind.

While it’s completely normal to take some time to develop trust, Type-D is a little “extra” in this aspect of life too.

3. They feel lonely and depressed

What is even more peculiar is that the D types start feeling alone and deserted when they don’t have a face to talk to and a shoulder to lie on. The loneliness causes further depression in them, and they completely shut themselves in a cocoon.

4. They don’t want to burden others

Another reason why D-types are so reserved with their feelings is that they don’t want to burden others with their emotional disturbances.

They think their loved ones will get disturbed after learning about their issues and problems. They overthink the entire situation and ultimately end up piling up the feelings inside.

5. They fear the unknown

D-types stay reserved because they are scared of the uncertainty of life. They are afraid of how a situation might take the wrong course even if they try everything to prevent that. 

Even when they have no reason, they feel anxious and avoid socializing out of the fear of the million negative possibilities.

Now you know the D-Types are called overthinkers for a reason!

However, if you’re curious for an in-depth analysis, here’s more on the physical and emotional health of type Ds

After learning about their complex emotional health, you definitely want to know about relationships of D type personalities.


Type D Personality in Relationships

D personalities are socially inhibited and try to dodge all kinds of social gatherings. Thus, it is natural for them to be reluctant while making new relationships.

C’mon, let’s know more about these personality types regarding their relationships…

1. They motivate everyone

Type D individuals always see the world through a negative filter. So, they want to help out others in their bad times. Due to their desire to make the world a better place, they always motivate others with optimistic words and help in whatever form possible.

2. They resolve issues for others

Type Ds are great problem solvers, so they can help you sort any issues with others. Moreover, they avoid conflicts, so if you get in a disagreement, they won’t watch from the sidelines silently. They try to understand the issue at hand and help others reach a middle ground.

3. They’ll listen to you complain

They aren’t big talkers as they are worried about offending others and being rejected. However, while they keep quiet, they learn to become great listeners. 

If you want to vent out your feelings, they’ll pay attention to you throughout the time. They also won’t advise you without knowing your story.

4. You won’t ever feel judged 

Whether you fail in your tests or get in a fist fight with your friends, a type D loved one won’t ever judge you. Instead of lecturing you, you will be amazed by how understanding they can be. 

Of course, if you’re wrong, they won’t support you. But if you’re misunderstood by others, you can count on them.

5.Their surprise party may not surprise you 

D-types aren’t too keen on trying anything new. They enjoy monotonous routines more. So, when they plan to throw a party or prepare gifts for their loved ones, it’s usually the similar kind of thing. You can often predict what they’ll do to appreciate you.

If you’re interested in more details about a type D’s relationships, check out this article!

With that, let’s take a look at their work life as well:


Type D Personality at work

SUMMARY
D-type personalities are super focused professionals. They are committed to the workplace wholeheartedly and try to complete all the assigned tasks with utmost perfection.

D type personalities are extremely task-oriented at their workplace. They have a very concentrated and focused mind.

In fact, they also take pre-planned precautions to avoid all sorts of uninvited crashes in the given task. Most importantly they are whole-heartedly committed to the job they are doing. 

That was just a description of their working habits. Let’s dive into it with more details.

1. They are hardworking and seek appreciation

The D types of personalities work really hard to achieve recognition, acceptance, and admiration of their seniors as well as colleagues. They also invest themselves in the progress of the firm.

It gives them immense pleasure to receive appreciation for their work quality. Further, they don’t like taking adventurous risks at workplaces because they blindly believe in the concept of “work is worship”.

2. They are well organized at workplaces

One of the star qualities of D types is that they are well organized at their workplaces too. You will never find their work tables messed up.

They also like working in a systematic manner and following a disciplined routine. They don’t prefer a chaotic environment for working.

3. They are good advisors on work fronts

You can always expect safe guidance from the D type of personalities. The D types are good listeners too.

Though they are going to back their suggestions with diplomatic sentences, they will also suggest some thoughtful ideas. They are extremely compassionate towards those who come to seek help from them.

4. They preserve patience even after being stressed out

So far you have learned about their depressed nature and stressed-out personality, but even after being so tensed and stressed out, these people don’t give up on shattering situations.

They know how to preserve their patience and keep calm in crisis circumstances too.

5. They feel secured in teamwork

When the members are familiar, D-type personalities love working in a team because that gives them a sense of security and stability of the final outcome.

For more work-related actions and behaviors of type Ds, explore this article.

You must be wondering with these work habits, what can be the ideal jobs for D type personalities. Don’t worry, up next, you will get a compiled list of ideal jobs for D-Type Personalities.


Ideal job list for Type D Personality

IF you think that D-types have limited career choices due to their introverted nature, you are wrong. Here are some of the many job roles that fit the best for D-type Personalities.

1. Accountant

2. Lecturer

3. Secretary

4. Bureaucrat

5. Doctor/nurse

6. Assembly line worker

7. Society services provider

8. Mechanic

9. Teacher

10. Administrator

The list may not be all-inclusive but will definitely give you an outline of the areas where D-types can perform without any restraints.

But if you want to dig deeper into the job roles and list of jobs, go ahead and check this!

All that said and done.

However, you probably still have one question in mind, i.e., about how type Ds are different from the rest. So, let’s get down to the comparisons here…


Type D vs Type A Personality

While type Ds are perceived as weak and a pushover, type As are the bossy individuals that order others around. Ds are looked down upon and As intimidate others. C’mon, let’s get into the depths of this comparison…

1. They both tend to miss social situations 

D-types avoid socializing due to their social inhibition (i.e. avoid socializing due to fear of disapproval) and negative affectivity (excess negative emotions like worries and sorrows).

Type As, on the other hand, choose to ignore social events and activities because they are too busy with work. 

2. Both of their communication styles are lacking 

Type Ds can’t express their emotions as they’re often worried about burdening others or being rejected. They avoid clear communication to keep everyone happy. 

A-types, however, talk fast and in short. They don’t take much time to explain themselves or to listen to others which leads to communication troubles.

3. Type Ds won’t even dream of being pleased but A’s are impossible to please

D-types often act like people-pleasers so that nobody rejects or disapproves them. But they never expect the same treatment from others. Neither do they demand anything to avoid pressurizing others.

A-types are perfectionists, so despite how much you do, they often find shortcomings in you. They have high standards of others.

4. Unlike Ds, As are confident

Type Ds are insecure about themselves even if they are way better than others. Due to their lack of confidence, they isolate themselves. 

But A-types are so confident about themselves that they never entertain any kind of criticism.  Even if others tell them off, they don’t accept that.

5. Type Ds are conflict-avoidant but As intentionally get into conflicts

Type Ds dislike any kind of conflict as it makes them anxious about how it might affect them and their relationships. They act like people-pleasers to avoid getting into fights.

On the other hand, type As are stubborn about their choices. If anyone opposes them, they get into fights to stand up for themselves.

There are more such similarities and differences between these two. So, don’t miss this article to know more.

Now, let’s continue on to the next one…

Type D vs Type B Personality

Type Bs are pretty much painted in the negative light as they’re perceived to be the opposite of As. On the other hand, type Ds are assumed to be the worst of the four. So, let’s see how this comparison works out…

1. Type Ds work hard but Bs procrastinate 

D-types are worried about their performance and that they might lag if they don’t try hard enough. So, they always work hard with great determination.

But B-types take it easy and push their work for as late as possible. They procrastinate so much that they often have to multitask at the last minute.

2. Unlike Ds, Bs are cheerful and optimistic 

Type D are always depressed due to their pessimism. They can’t enjoy any moment because they are too focused on the downside of life. 

On the other hand, type Bs are optimistic and never fear the negative possibilities. They believe that everything will work out eventually and try hard.

3. D-types are routine-lovers unlike type Bs 

Type Ds feel more at peace when they follow a scheduled day. They dislike any sudden and unwanted plan. On the other hand, B-types love to be spontaneous and get bored from routine. In fact, they are ready to do anything to break free from monotony. 

4. Unlike Ds, Bs are socializers

D-types are socially inhibited, i.e., they fear being rejected if they try to connect with others. So, they don’t socialize much. But B-types are social butterflies and they love to make friends with everyone. They even help others socialize. 

5. Unlike D-types, Bs are a bit cluttered

D-types can’t stand a messy space as they worry that they might not get important things when they actually need them. So, they feel forced to fix the clutter.

On the flip side, B-types don’t feel disturbed from disorganized space. It’s because they know where which object is even if it’s messy. Moreover, they are procrastinators, so they push off the cleaning for later.

You probably want to know more about this comparison, so click here!

But if you want to keep going and learn the next comparison, let’s keep rolling…

Type D vs Type C Personality

Often people can’t differentiate between type C and D personalities. Because they have quite a lot of common grounds. However, they are definitely different, so let’s know more here…

1. Both are realistic pessimists

C and D-types, both, are grounded to reality. Neither of them day dream about impossibly positive situations. C-types are pessimistic but it’s not extreme. But D-types are pretty extra when it comes to their negative thoughts. In the end, neither have high expectations from the world.

2. Both are kind to others

Both type C and D don’t talk to people unless they’re close and comfortable. However, people hardly know how kind they are. They may seem aloof and cold, but they can’t turn a blind eye to people in need. They are always ready to support the needy with everything they have.

3. Ds prepare to face the worst but Cs are pretty cautious 

Type Ds are often worried about the worst situation even after getting victory. They don’t rest at all or celebrate their wins and worriedly make backups all the time.

But C-types create backups only of the possible issues. But once they win, they know how to relax and not overwork themselves.

4. Ds are socially inhibited but Cs are introverted 

D-types avoid people due to their social inhibition, fear of disapproval, inferiority complex, and unnecessary worries. But type Cs are just not interested in socializing with unknown people. They are introverted and feel more comfortable in their small inner circle. 

5. Ds keep others emotions first but Cs prioritize facts 

When anyone gets emotional, type Ds give in to their demands. They don’t protest against the bad consequences of their choices. But type Cs always do everything based on facts, they don’t let others’ emotional outbursts control them.

If you want to dive into this comparison a bit more, don’t forget to click here!

Now, are you curious whether you or someone else is a type D? Let’s keep reading then…


How to know if you’re a Type D Personality?

They have been a standard assessment developed by the researchers to help you recognize if you are a D type personality. The scale is known as Type D Scale-14 (DS14).

It measures social inhibition and negative thought processes of a person because those two are the most dominant unique factors of D type personality.

1. Social Inhibition

Social inhibition stops people from interacting with others, sharing their ideas, thoughts, and opinions, and attending social events.

They lack the confidence to face others’ opinions mainly because they fear judgment and rejection.

2. Negative thinking

Assuming negative scenarios, predicting negative outcomes, clogging yourself with negative emotions, getting irritated at little matters, and remaining anxious all the time are a few things that indicate negative thought processes.

If a person has both of these traits, he/she is going to struggle a lot with their emotional health. They are going to feel depressed and hopeless at times.

However, running the DS14 test and the calculations can be rather complicated.

So, if you want to take a detailed and simpler test to figure out if you’re a type D personality or not, you can check this one. It has only 50 simple close-ended questions. So, answer them all and return here!

So, did you find you’re a type D person? If you’re worried about your personality ruining your life, you need to know the bright side here…

If you wish to discover your inner self, you can start by taking our personality tests.


What are the Pros of having a type D personality?

Unlike what most people highlight, there are certain things that make you better than others. Even if others may not give you the credit, you must pat your back for these…

1. You can handle repetitive tasks 

Most people feel frustrated when they have to undertake repetitive tasks. They find it boring and have zero motivation to complete them. However, you can deal with these tasks perfectly as it calms your nerves while you work on your skills and don’t get distracted by the repetitive nature.

2. You are reliable 

If anyone needs help and you’re around, you never turn a blind eye towards them. You view this world as a miserable place and wish to make others’ life easier. So, everyone can depend on you during dire times. You try to perform your best and avoid messing anything up further. 

3. You can build a balanced life 

You are afraid of instability, so you try hard to enjoy a stable life. Whether it’s about maintaining your job, your finances, or relationships, you try hard to give consistent efforts and avoid any form of instability.

4. You have great observation skills 

You notice details better than others. So, during any kind of planning, you notice the downsides faster and point those out for a more foolproof plan. You can also understand others’ problems and help them solve their issues. 

5. You’re extremely patient

You’re aware that hardly anyone is perfect in this world. So, you treat others patiently and never have high expectations from others. You embrace people despite their weaknesses. You even encourage others when they can’t cope with a situation and allow them to take time. 

But of course, there are issues too, so let’s check those…

What are the Cons of having a type D personality?

Others say a lot of crap about your personality type, but you can’t dismiss all of it. Certainly, there are major issues and here are some of them…

1. You get hurt without reason

Being a type D person, you are extremely sensitive to the slightest things. If people can’t pay attention to you for genuine reasons, you still get hurt. You overthink that people ignore you because they don’t want you even if they explain their situation.

2. Your shyness makes you lose chances 

You can’t express your feelings around new people or interact with them. This is a massive issue as you don’t get to know about the rare opportunities by networking. 

Even if you can’t connect with influential people, you don’t know how to ask them about it which leads to missed chances.

3. You’re not happy with life 

Even if many great things happen in your life, you’re never satisfied or hopeful. You are always worried about what bad things will happen instead of cherishing the good moments at present. You let every good situation pass by for your unrealistic worries. 

4. You can’t wait to resign 

Since you worry so much about everything, it exhausts you in your professional life. You get stressed and burnt out quicker than your coworkers and struggle to cope with work. Especially, if your work has a chaotic environment, you can’t deal with it and wish to resign.

5. Your inner thoughts take control of your life 

Rather than communicating with others, you feel more comfortable talking with yourself in your mind. This prevents you from excess boredom but your social anxiety worsens as you entertain this habit. Moreover, you might also get distracted during serious situations.

To get an elaborate list and explanation of all the pros and cons, click here!

However, if you’re worried about the cons and want to improve yourself, then here’s what you need…


What to do if you’re a Type D Personality?

If you happen to be a D type personality, there is significantly a lot that you can do to live a happy life rather than spending your days in depression and anxiety.

There are ways that can help you live your life to the fullest, achieve a great emotional balance, and face all the challenges with multiplied confidence. Doesn’t it sound tempting already? Why wait then? Let’s simply dive in.  

1. Have a positive Self-talk

As a D-type personality, you should try to identify a negative situation and do self-talk about it. Remember, this conversation with yourself should be positive and constructive.

You should not manipulate and contemplate the situation in a negative fashion. Positive self-talk can change the game of your life because it considerably influences your understanding of the situation.

2. Understand your feelings

Feeling stressed and depressed is not going to help you anymore. Instead, you must try to understand why you feel stressed. What are you going to lose if the worst comes true? Is it worth the stress or not?

If not, come on, move ahead and focus on something else. Evaluate your needs and desires before you invest in anything.

3. Do some happy activities throughout the day

Try to incorporate skills that help you overcome the state of depression and anxiety. What are the activities that make you feel lighter almost instantly? It can be dancing, painting, or even playing some computer games.

Well, remember using any kind of intoxication will not help you in the long run. They can definitely give you some temporary pleasure but will prove to be even more harmful in the future.

4. Develop some social skills

Of course, it’s uncomfortable for you, but you can’t stay in the cocoon forever. So, try and interact with people around you and eventually with consistent efforts, you will develop some social skills.

Don’t hesitate from greeting someone with a “hello, how are you doing?” or even a “Hi, you look good today”.

Spending more time with others is alternately proportional to spending less solo time. Since staying aloof is one of the major causes, why you are a victim to so many negative thoughts, being accompanied by someone for at least some part of your day, will help you heal.  

Learning about the lives of others will also help you relate to yourself. Eventually, you will develop better relationships and slowly crawl out of your shell.

5. Meditate and Exercise daily

Meditation can have wonderful benefits on your emotional as well as physical health. You can also club some light exercises in the routine for maximizing positive outcomes.

Following a strict exercise schedule will also help you combat the risk of cardiac arrest. Further, physical exercises are a great way to get rid of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Meditation again helps in developing a clear-thinking pattern and balances the stress hormones thereby relieving mental fatigue.

Wondering if these are the only tips? Well, of course not, so get the entire guide here

If you aren’t a D type personality, but you have someone in your life who is Type D, and you want to help the person come out of the zone of depression, here’s how you can do that.


How to Deal with Type D Personality?

As you know D type personalities live stressful lives, it will be great if you can help these people with their lifestyle and personality issues.

There are things that can help them overcome life challenges without feeling distressed.

At first, it may surprise you to learn about the struggles and emotional health of D type personalities. But now that you know how they feel, you may take a step ahead and help them lead a happy life ahead.

Before starting with all the technical key points, remember that one thing that never fails to help D type personality is encouragement and appreciation.

With that, let’s begin!

1. Connect and relate with them

D type personalities have built a wall around themselves and don’t allow anyone inside. You have to put an enormous amount of effort to connect with them.

Connecting with them on an emotional level will require you to be able to relate with the D types and empathize with how they feel in a particular situation.

You can start by asking them about how they are doing in their day-to-day life. Even if they don’t open up initially, give them some time and keep putting effort so that they feel connected and sought.

2. Earn their trust

If you see a D type personality entering into a remote zone where he feels disconnected from everyone, don’t let them. One of the best things to do here is to keep them accompanied all the time.

Don’t forget to give them some free time for their personal space as well. Other than that, accompany them for an evening walk or ask for their help in cooking. Just keep at it, and all the efforts are going to be worth it in the end!

Besides, don’t forget to make them feel comfortable about reaching out to others for help. Your consistent efforts are definitely going to win their trust.

3. Encourage and support them

Encouragement works wonders for D type personalities. These people constantly fear rejection and negative judgment. In such a scenario, if you are ready to accept them for the people they are at heart, they feel secure.

On top of that, if you start admiring and appreciating their efforts, they feel genuinely grateful and positive about themselves. Somehow the D type personalities fail to recognize their worth in the world. This can be partially under-confident because they find it difficult to accept their life.

They start feeling useless and hopeless. If you can help them fathom the concept of self-love, nothing like it.

Your appreciation works as reassurance for them and they eventually learn to accept their emotions, no matter how depressing it is.

4. Visit a therapist

If you see a D-type suffering from extreme anxiety and depression, it’s time you need to take them to an expert for help. Try to make them understand that it is important to express their feelings and experiences in order to survive in this world.

Since they fail to do it with the external world, a therapist can provide them with the desired comfort and ultimately help them come out of this depressing mental state.

5. Recognize when they put efforts

D-types put a lot of effort to please everyone even if they get the shorter side of the stick. However, they never expect anything in return and selflessly give to others. 

So, show that you are happy because of them. Let them know that their efforts didn’t go unnoticed and you’d love to reciprocate it too. 

But of course, there are many more ways to deal with a type D person better and you can find all about it here.

However, if you have trouble expressing yourself to a type D, here’s what you need…


How to communicate with type D personality?

D-types overthink and feel negative about most situations. So, they are prone to misunderstanding your words 

1. Avoid trigger negative thoughts

They already think about the worst in their mind about any situation or themselves. They feel they’re judged every moment. So, never say anything that might make them become certain about those thoughts. 

Don’t knowingly treat them rudely. Otherwise, you can make them struggle even harder and hide their true emotions. Choose your words wisely while communicating with them.

2. Watch your words while criticizing

Even after trying hard, Type Ds commit mistakes. After all, they are human beings and it’s normal. While criticizing them, make sure you don’t  say anything that might push them to depression. 

Be creative and constructive while criticizing by adding what you liked in their task and how they can improve.

3. Highlight the brighter side 

You can’t change a pessimist into an optimist overnight. However, if you try long enough, you can bring the desired change eventually. 

So, whenever a negative situation springs up, show them the bigger picture and help them cope. Chant optimistic words to help them absorb good energy and feel better.

4. Don’t try to dominate them 

If you’re an elder or a superior at work or school to this type D person, don’t use your authority to ask them to do things. Instead, respectfully ask them to do it. Your gentle tone will help them feel less inferior, so they’ll feel more motivated and feel less negative about a situation. 

5. Respond ASAP 

If they call or text, try to respond instead of keeping it for later. If you’re away from your device, that’s a different situation. 

But if you’re around, at least send a “I’m busy, catch you later” text. This will prevent them from misunderstanding you. Otherwise, they’ll be immersed in pessimistic thoughts.However, these aren’t the only things to keep in mind during conversations. So, grab the complete guide here!

D-Type Personality can be recognized differently in different personality tests. Here is a list of a few of them.


Different Type D Personality Tests and their different names

Personality TestsType D Personality Name
HippocratesPhlegmatic (bodily humor: phlegm)
PlatoPhilosopher
JungFeeler
DISCS; indirect/supporting
InsightOrange
Myers-BriggsESTP, ESFP, ISTP, ISFP
EnneagramPeacemaker/observer
PSISupporter
Biblical characterAbraham
Cartoon/comic charactersCharlie Brown (from Peanuts) / Winnie the Pooh

A word from ThePleasantPersonality

This think-piece D type personality did not intend to provide a mental health diagnosis. It was just a collective elaboration of the general traits, strengths, weaknesses, qualities, the emotional and mental health of a particular type of personality.

It is always better to be well aware of the pros and cons of your own and your loved one’s personality so that you know how to put yourself together after facing a distressing situation.

Are you interested to know more about ‘Personality Types A B C D’ then click here?

Article Sources


1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2822747/
2. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00106/full
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15820973/
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_D_personality