Cynical hostility and cardiovascular disease

Cynical hostility is a personality style of cynicism and anger mismanagement in social relationships. Sometimes called chronic anger, it is associated with mistrust and weakened social support networks.

How Cynical are you?

Unless you’re a real curmudgeon, it’s unlikely that you’re cynical about everyone all the time. But there may be a few areas where you tend to err on the side of negativity. Gaining insight into the aspects of your life where you may be a tad too pessimistic could be helpful.

Here’s a quick test—consider how much you agree with the following statements:

• I think most people would lie to get ahead.
• It’s safer to trust nobody.
• Most people will use somewhat unfair reasons to gain profit or an advantage rather than lose it.

This tool—which was used by researchers to study the link between cynicism and dementia—shows there are degrees of cynicism. Perhaps you agree with one of the above statements. Or maybe you think all three of them are partially true. Or perhaps you’re only cynical about certain people—like all sales professionals.

Cynical hostility is a potential pathway to cardiovascular disease by preventing a healthy response to stress over time, according to a study led by Baylor University.

Hostility generally is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. But this research explored three types of hostility—emotional, behavioral and cognitive—to see whether one is more predictive of risk factors. Cynical hostility poses the greatest risk based on stress responses, according to the study, which was published in the journal Psychophysiology.

"Cynical hostility is more cognitive, consisting of negative beliefs, thoughts and attitudes about other people's motives, intentions and trustworthiness," said lead author Alexandra T. Tyra, a doctoral candidate in psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University. "It can be considered suspiciousness, lack of trust or cynical beliefs about others."

Thanks :Robert Stonjek

 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-11-cynical-hostility-potential-pathway-cardiovascular.html?fbclid=IwAR3bIY07jvqbdVYm2RVS_yLwUiwY7SmnxJQe3ZcTNLf06Bkr-NvqUsBRw9w

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201506/cynical-attitude-could-cost-you

How to reduce a cynical attitude

1. Heal your past wounds. Sometimes a cynical outlook stems from unaddressed past hurts. Whether you got bullied as a child, or your last business partner stole from you, don’t blame the world for a few bad apples. Take steps to heal your past wounds so you can see the world through a more realistic lens.

2. Refuse to see yourself as a victim. Blaming other people for holding you back will keep you stuck. Decide that you’re not going to view yourself as a victim and take charge of your life. Recognize the options you have in each situation and empower yourself to make the best choices possible, regardless of what is going on around you.

3. Practice gratitude. Train your brain to start seeing the good in the world by practicing gratitude. Start your day by acknowledging at least one thing you have to be grateful for. Before you go to sleep, recognize at least one person or incident where someone showed genuine kindness, fairness, or integrity.