How Bad Relationships Affect Your Health

How Bad Relationships Affect Your Health Stress Management Relationship Stress Print How Bad Relationships Affect Your Health By Mark Stibich, PhD  Mark Stibich, PhD, FIDSA, is a behavior change expert with experience helping individuals make lasting lifestyle improvements. Learn about our editorial policy Mark Stibich, PhD Updated on February 13, 2020 Simon Potter / Cultura / Getty Images More in Stress Management Relationship Stress Effects on Health Management Techniques Situational Stress Job Stress Household Stress You may have heard, or assumed, that relationships are good for your health, longevity, and life expectancy. In general, thats  trueâ€"except when a relationship is bad. Anyone whos been through a tough divorce, dealt with difficult parents or children, or had a backstabbing friend knows that not all relationships are good for your health. If a person in our lives creates stress and problems, that has an impact on well-being too. What Research Tells Us Researchers measured relationship quality in a study of 9,000 men and women in the British Civil Service in a study published in 2007. The participants were surveyed about their relationships and the different negative aspects that exist in their close relationships. Participants were also closely monitored for health problems. Those who reported adverse close relationships had a 34% increase in the risk of developing heart problems, even after taking weight, social support, and other factors into consideration. That’s a pretty substantial increase. And more recent research, such as a University of Michigan study from 2016, supports this finding, noting that stress and [negative] relationship quality directly effect the cardiovascular system. In other studies, researchers have found: Social isolation is linked to inflammation and hypertension. A review of two decades of research, published in 2016, underlined the connection between being socially isolated and the risk of inflammation, comparing isolation to physical inactivity in adolescence. The same study reported that social isolation could be riskier than clinical factors, like diabetes, when it came to hypertension (high blood pressure).Prolonged conflict with other people was strongly associated with lower self-rated health and more health issues, according to a survey of more than 650 adults over two years. Any kind of stress,  whether its due to a lousy relationship with a lousy person or a demanding job, has a remarkable impact on the efficacy of the immune system. When a Bad Relationship Goes Unacknowledged Suppressing your feelings is unhealthy, especially when those feelings are anger or resentment. Some research suggests that couples tend to die younger when partners have different styles of coping with anger; the more severe the mismatch, the greater the risk of early death for both partners. In some relationships, one person might be very dissatisfied, while the other is completely unaware of an issue. Addressing this situation means conflict, but that conflict does not have to end a relationship. Effective conflict resolution can improve and repair a relationship. Unresolved conflict is bad, but a botched attempt at reaching a resolution is even worse. How you choose to resolve conflict will affect any relationship in which youre involved. If youre dealing with extreme conflict, couples counseling or individual therapy can be very helpful.. Resolve Conflicts to Reduce Relationship Stress How to Handle Bad Relationships Interacting with friends and family is good. Staving off loneliness increases your life expectancy and protects your brain, in addition to many other benefits. But spending time and energy on less desirable friends and family members can literally make you less healthy. Do your best to maximize time spent with the friends and family you enjoy being around, and minimize interactions with those who arent as pleasant and who bring negativity into your life. Unfortunately, some negative people cant always be avoided, particularly if they are family. In that case, use relaxation techniques to let go of the stress these encounters cause. Learn how to actively manage your interactions with difficult people  so they have less of an impact on your health and life.