Being lonely can stink in general, but it can also worsen your mental health and emetophobia issues due to what it can do to your physical health.
A series of studies suggests that loneliness, like stress, taxes your immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses and other health issues. If your vomit phobia includes the fear of getting sick, you can see how emetophobia can be affected if your life is largely spent alone.
The research findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology held in New Orleans. And just what did the research suggest? An article in Science Daily sums it up:
- Loneliness acts as an ongoing stressor in the body, triggering a poorly controlled immune response
- Study participants who experienced loneliness had higher levels of inflammation in their bodies than those who were less lonely
- People who felt socially connected generally experience “more positive outcomes” than those who are socially isolated or lonely, according to the research’s lead author Lisa Jaremka, a post-doctorate fellow at Ohio State University’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research.
Jaremka also pointed out that bad relationships can make you just as lonely as the lack of relationships, so perhaps it’s time to review your relations with family and friends to make your immune system stronger and your emetophobia at bay.
Read Science Daily article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130119185019.htm
