Be Your Authentic Self To Prevent Negative Health Effects Of Loneliness

New research published in the Journal of Health Psychology suggests that by being your authentic self, you can prevent the negative health effects of loneliness, which include depression, obesity, and even premature death. Loneliness can also worsen stress symptoms which can severely impact your physical health.

In the study, the participants who scored higher on authenticity reported fewer physical, mental health, or drinking problems, even if they experienced a high level of loneliness.

The research examined 537 undergraduate students, and while it is hard to make a conclusion based on this one small study, the researchers suggest that:

…it’s possible that people with high levels of authenticity are able to stave off the risks of loneliness because they attribute it to circumstance — and not to some sort of inherent flaw. In short, instead of blaming themselves for feeling lonely, they can take it in stride and realize that if they put in the effort, loneliness may soon subside.

Read the entire article at Medical Daily.