Sociologist: interaction with conflictual people accelerates aging.
Regular interaction with conflictual or bothersome people accelerates biological aging, according to sociology associate professor Benkyu Lee of New York University and sociology professor Brea Perry. They identified this unexpected factor of aging in an interview with The Washington Post.
The researchers conducted a study involving more than two thousand adults, which showed that even one "difficult person" in a person's environment increases the rate of aging by about 1.5 percent. This means that instead of aging by one biological year for each calendar year, a person actually ages approximately 1.015 years during the same period. "Even such small effects of biological aging accumulate over time," Lee warned.
According to Perry, by "difficult people," they meant those who regularly create problems, cause stress, or complicate life for others. The study found that these are most often close ones, relatives, colleagues, or neighbors with whom a person interacts constantly and with whom they are emotionally involved. The sociologist added that such contacts have a greater impact on women and people with less robust health.
Lee and Perry emphasize that the study does not show a direct causal link between difficult relationships and aging, but the results are still significant. To reduce negative effects, they recommend limiting contact with people who cause constant stress whenever possible and strengthening positive social connections, which, on the contrary, can have a beneficial impact on health and longevity.
