Are you an arguer instead of a peacemaker?
It could be taking a toll on your health.
A new study shows that negative social interaction, in the form of arguments and personal conflict, can raise inflammation levels, MSNBC reported. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
MSNBC pointed out that elevated inflammation isn't inherently a bad thing -- it just means that the immune system is ramped up to fight against infection. But if the body is always in a state of inflammation, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and depression.
"The message is that the flotsam and jetsam of life predict changes in your underlying biology in ways that cumulatively could have a bad effect on health," study researcher Shelley Taylor, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, told HealthDay.
"What this tells me is that people should be investing in socially supportive relationships, and they should not court relationships that lead to a great deal of conflict," Taylor added.
