Research Negative emotions such as anxiety and loneliness can shorten life span

A recent study, published in the “Journal of Affective Disorders”, highlights the link between neuroticism and the risk of premature death. Neuroticism is a personality trait characterized by emotional instability and a tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, fear or loneliness.

Researchers analyzed data from nearly half a million participants and found that people with high neuroticism scores were at risk of dying earlier.

One aspect that stands out is that loneliness, one of the main components of neuroticism, is strongly linked to an increased risk of premature death. According to the study, those who felt lonely had a 46% higher risk of dying, compared to those who did not experience this feeling. This is especially true for young men and people without higher education.

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The study, writes www.psypost.org, analyzed not only neuroticism as a whole, but also its individual components, such as mood swings, irritability or their tendency to feel anxious. For example, those who tended to worry too much about the risk of death, and in some cases, even had a lower risk, perhaps because they are more cautious and worried.

This discovery comes in the context where characteristics such as loneliness and anxiety are increasingly common, especially today. A social support network, such as close friends and family, can help manage negative emotions and indirectly reduce health risks.

In addition to this aspect, the study shows that there are also differences between specific causes of death related to neuroticism. For example, those with high neuroticism scores were found to be more likely to die from respiratory or digestive diseases, but not necessarily from cardiovascular diseases, which surprised the research team.

This research opens new discussions about the relationship between personality, mental health and longevity. Connecting with those around you, managing your emotions, and adopting stress reduction strategies are just a few of the things that can make a big difference in your overall well-being.

See also: Do you have many friends and still feel lonely? Here are the explanations!

Although the findings are clear, the authors of the study emphasize that further research is needed, especially in more diverse socio-economic settings. In addition, changes in neuroticism across the lifespan, as well as major events that affect our emotional state, need to be studied in the future to fully understand this connection.

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Editor: Raluca Toma