Stressful People in Your Life Could Be Adding Months To Your Biological Age (pnas.org) 34
A study published last week in PNAS found that people who regularly cause problems or make life difficult -- whom the researchers call "hasslers" -- are associated with measurably faster biological aging in those around them, at a rate of roughly 1.5% per additional hassler and about nine months of additional biological age relative to same-age peers.
The research drew on DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks and ego-centric network data from a state-representative probability sample of 2,345 adults in Indiana, aged 18 to 103. Nearly 29% of respondents reported at least one hassler in their close network. The biological toll varied by relationship type: hasslers who were family members showed the strongest and most consistent associations with accelerated aging, while spouse hasslers showed no significant effect on either epigenetic measure.
The damage also went beyond aging clocks -- each additional hassler was associated with greater depression and anxiety severity, higher BMI, increased inflammation, and higher multimorbidity. When benchmarked against smoking, a major behavioral risk factor for aging, the hassler effect corresponded to roughly 13 to 17% of smoking's estimated impact on the same aging clocks.
The research drew on DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks and ego-centric network data from a state-representative probability sample of 2,345 adults in Indiana, aged 18 to 103. Nearly 29% of respondents reported at least one hassler in their close network. The biological toll varied by relationship type: hasslers who were family members showed the strongest and most consistent associations with accelerated aging, while spouse hasslers showed no significant effect on either epigenetic measure.
The damage also went beyond aging clocks -- each additional hassler was associated with greater depression and anxiety severity, higher BMI, increased inflammation, and higher multimorbidity. When benchmarked against smoking, a major behavioral risk factor for aging, the hassler effect corresponded to roughly 13 to 17% of smoking's estimated impact on the same aging clocks.
Who determines who the "hassler" is? (Score:1)
It's generally relative to expectations and personality types involved.
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Some people are better equipped to deal with interpersonal relationships than others. What could be a minor, meaningless interaction to one will wind someone else up.
There was a good post in our local lefty rag about an incident in a coffee shop (one individual's inability to properly resond to "Is ths seat taken.") It devolved into dark muttering on the part of one party. Plus the motivation to write the editorial piece by the other.
I mean, 'Come on, folks'. If you can't handle a simple 'Yes|No|I don't k
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I have a family member that I had to literally kick out of my house. And I'm using the word correctly; my foot hit his ass and propelled him out the door. I believe that is the sort of thing they're talking about.
And to my point, even though he is directly responsible for all of his problems and has left many ruined lives in his narcissistic wa
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but in this particular case they're talking about long-term relationships
It's a continuum. In my experience, people that can't handle the small stuff and that which has no relationship investment also lack the tool set to fix bigger problems.
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Re: Who determines who the "hassler" is? (Score:2)
If you have to ask, it's probably you.
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Yip, probably true.
thanks-for-nothing dept indeed (Score:1)
Summaries that link to actual articles is so 1999.
Here's TFA for you to not R: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.10... [pnas.org]
Re:thanks-for-nothing dept indeed (Score:5, Insightful)
All one has to do is click on the link to the cited article immediately after the title, in this case "(pnas.org)". But, yes, linking to the article in the summary would also be good.
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I think "What We Do in the Shadows" already did that villain.
For sure (Score:5, Funny)
I got divorced 12 years ago. My physical health definitely improved.
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It's a good joke, but the research doesn't seem to support it (at least not in general):
> "Moreover, not all hasslers exert the same influence; kin and nonkin hasslers show detrimental associations, whereas spouse hasslers do not."
Stress is the top killer - most others are BS (Score:4, Insightful)
Now we know, wine is bad for you. At best, you don't notice the damage in small doses. It will never make you healthier. I was in college, listening to biochemistry lectures where they studied it...was it the anti-oxidants? Was it reservatrol? No matter how much was given, they couldn't find a dose-dependent response to either. Turns out, it was simply that wine drinkers have less stressful lives, especially in the USA, especially in the 90s. Most were middle class or above. The poor drank hard liquor or beer. People who have time and lack of serious problems in their life to explore wines have time to visit the doctor for routine checkups and get a walk in every night with the dog and go to bed on time, etc.
Then they thought it was tooth decay. So now scientists are studying to see if bacteria in teeth caused heart attacks...were they producing toxins that are poisoning us? Oh, you're on a statin?...be sure to brush your teeth as well!!!...which is nice advice, but not relevant. More obviously, people who go to routine checkups have less stress, have their act together more, people who take care of their teeth typically take care of their bodies and have their shit together.
Same for any other ailment...ultra-processed foods?
Health and diet are the new religion for the secular crowd. We believe that if we can be more pure...cut out the nitrates and red dye 50, we can be more holy. There's just no evidence. I've eaten like shit as a poor college student. I ate healthy once I graduated and could afford fresh fruit and vegetables and to cook real meals....there was no difference. But I've had stressful jobs that made me feel like ABSOLUTE SHIT while eating PERFECTLY and working out daily. I've had jobs I loved where I worked out very inconsistently and ate junk food....felt much better (chubbier, but healthier).
I'm guilty of this too. I want to believe that if I live off lean protein, "good carbs," and a fuckton of fruits and vegetables...I'll be holy too!...I'll be rewarded for my virtuous eating with good health.
During the pandemic I achieved this because I work from home and can afford whatever food I like....didn't make a difference. I take my vitamins like clockwork and workout nightly...even walk the dog to clear the head, like clockwork. Part of me still thinks, with each meal planned, that if I eat a salad, instead of a slice of pizza (same amount of calories of each), I'll be healthier...but I've NEVER seen ANY evidence...on the scale...in the mirror...in my mood...in my energy levels....in my bloodwork. Calories are calories....I eat too much salad, I feel like shit. I eat an appropriate amount of pizza, I feel fine. I still take my vitamins and eat healthy...but I can't prove it works. I am not sure it does.
I wouldn'
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Research is now revealing that food is more than fuel, it's changes how our body works: Much like drugs. It adds to the idea of good foods and bad foods. Genetics, the usual answer for different tolerances to the same human stresses, may be more about neutralizing bad foods/emotions, less about magical immunity to those stressors and to disease.
The bad cholesterol and other toxins are accumulating in their body: When they turn 50 and the body can't repair itself overnight, those toxins will start degr
But is it really? is there a dose dependence? (Score:2)
Research is now revealing that food is more than fuel, it's changes how our body works: Much like drugs. It adds to the idea of good foods and bad foods. Genetics, the usual answer for different tolerances to the same human stresses, may be more about neutralizing bad foods/emotions, less about magical immunity to those stressors and to disease.
The bad cholesterol and other toxins are accumulating in their body: When they turn 50 and the body can't repair itself overnight, those toxins will start degrading their metabolic function: They will get sick. Maybe, nothing serious but it's a message that they need to stop doing that shit. Or maybe, do it much more and make room for young people.
I want to believe you. It's what I've been told since I'm a small child, but I am not confident it's true. I am confident macro nutrients matter and that calories matter. We can observe what happens if you don't eat enough fiber or eat too much. However, my own doctors tell me they don't know if vitamins work. I still take one....just in case. But no one knows if multivitamins work. Eating 300 calories of salad vs a PBJ...not sure. There's definitely a placebo effect. There's definitely a mindfuln
Is there a lesson here? (Score:5, Insightful)
You certainly can't choose all your relatives. But at least, if you're choosing a spouse, learn how they react to adversity and disagreement. And the same goes for their family. It can mean the difference between a happy life and a world of hurt and melodrama.
Clickbait (Score:1)
Yes we know stress kills. The fact that you can be stressed out by certain people is hardly news.
But tying it to individuals makes for great clickbait because it gets you thinking about every little niggling problem in your life caused by the people around you.
This is not to say that there aren't some people you shouldn't get away from. You absolutely should. But a study or story like this is it going to help.
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Yeah, let's just give up on trying to understand how humans work, and measuring things scientifically: just knowing "people stress people out" is enough. /s
I seem to be `122 (Score:2)
... or it seems that way, with the Idiot in charge in the WH
Lead them around the garden? (Score:3)
If you are stressed by hasslers... (Score:2)
avoidance is my superpower (Score:2)
If you're not married or otherwise in a dependent type of relationship, then your boss is the stressful person in your life. Even when I "fix" my boss's attitude for a few months by giving them a good talking to, they come back with more of the same stress eventually. Quality of life would be a lot better if corporations didn't insist on managing us to death. "If you work for a living, why work yourself to death?" - Eli Wallach
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If you have a choice, value a sane working environment over money.
Makes sense (Score:2)
I never got carded after 16, because my family added at least 2 years to my life.