Some called it bad relationship, unhealthy relationship or toxic relationship. Whatever it is called, it delivers the same meaning and it can harm individual’s life either physically or mentally. During my study, I had a roommate who is in a bad relationship. Her boyfriend is excessively jealous, control her life and she always in fear. Her boyfriend also always put her in pressure and have an unpredictable personality. This unhealthy relationship affects her study as well as her health. Other example of having bad relationship are lack of communication, isolated from closed family and friends, lying and rude. Bad relationship can cause a lot of problems to physical health such as;
1. HEART PROBLEM
Study by De Vogli and team from University College London reveals bad relationship can increase risk of having heart problem. There are higher chance for people in bad relationship to die because of heart attacks and strokes. Another study report stress and anxious from having a bad relationship increase risk of having heart disease and have 34% more chance to get heart attack or chest pain compared to group that experience good relationship. Hence, choosing a partner and choosing to be in a good relationship is important because it can affect health condition.
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2. WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM
Going through a bad relationship can trigger stress level to increase continuously. Stress can weaken immune system and cause person to get sick easily. Study in Sweden reports children from broken family have higher cortisol level. High cortisol indicates high stress and this condition resulted in weak immune system among children. As a matter of fact, weak immune system does not happen for a short period, it can affect these children until they become adult. Lastly, children from a broken family have three times greater to have weak immune system compared to children with good family.
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3. SLOWER DISEASE RECOVERY
Besides increasing risk of heart disease and weakened immune system, having bad relationship also cause slower health recovery. Study in 2009 shows breast cancer survivor have a slower recovery due to marriage problem. Meanwhile, another study shows people experiencing marriage problem have slower rate for wound healing and less cytokine is produced at wound sites. In addition, people that have bad relationship tends to not follow their medical regimes and consequently affecting their health to have slower recovery.
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4. DIGESTIVE ISSUE
Having problem with family members, friends or spouse can cause stress. This resulted in problem with digestion. According to Kenneth Koch, medical director in North Carolina, stress is interrelated with every part of digestive system. You may hear gut is called as a second brain and you may feel uncomfortable with your guts when you are stress or anxious. There are about 100 million neurons in the gut and this cause human to feel things happen inside it. Stress from relationship problem such as having an argument with friends or colleague can cause spasm in oesophagus, indigestion, nauseous and constipation.
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5. SLEEP DISTURBANCE
Trouble with relationship can cause disturbance in sleep as well. Did you remember when you have an argument with your family members? It makes you to keep on thinking during night-time and subsequently you cannot sleep well. Study reports having bad relationship with family cause individual to have higher chances to get troubled sleep. Another than that, a 3-year study among university student in Canada reports having good friendship can influence sleep quality. Sleep quality is very important because it can affect human’s digestion, immune system, cognitive function and emotion.
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As a conclusion, having a relationship problem can affects human’s physical health. Relationship is well, complicated. In the early paragraph, I mention about my roommate’s story and probably you would think they are no longer together. No, they are married now, and I believe she must have a strong reason for it. Remember, bad relationship is related with bad health. Love yourself and take care!
By: Ms. Nurfarahin – SOL Neurofeedback Trainer