Are you satisfied with yourself and your position in society? We hope so. After all, not only your mental balance, but also the state of health can depend on this.
Studies show that people who are dissatisfied with their social status, on average, have more health problems — they are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, more often suffer from obesity and high cholesterol. On the contrary, those who are satisfied with their position in society, on average, have fewer physiological pathologies.
Why is this happening? “Comparing yourself to others provokes anxiety. Everything that aggravates our mental health sooner or later affects our physical health, ”explains research psychologist Jenny Cundiff.
Chronic stress can lead to hypertension, which in turn increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Stress also often pushes us towards an unhealthy lifestyle: smoking, unhealthy diet, overeating, lack of physical activity.
Of course, wealthy people with high status are on average healthier — they can afford quality food, medical care, and living in areas with good ecology. But, as studies show, regardless of the objective financial situation, a person’s subjective perception of his status in itself affects the state of health.
The attitude of others plays an important role
“Our ideas about our status in the hierarchy of society do not arise from scratch. If we are constantly confronted with a “boss” or hostile attitude, most likely, this will affect our self-esteem, ”says Jenny Cundiff.
Interestingly, the same effect also appears in societies where there are no big differences between the rich and the poor. Anthropologist Christopher von Ruden studied the life of the Chimane Indians (an indigenous people in Bolivia). In Cimane society, hunters and farmers have about the same level of wealth, but they are not equal in political influence.
Von Rueden’s research showed that the more powerful members of Chimane society had lower levels of cortisol (the «stress hormone») in their blood and a lower risk of respiratory disease.
“Those who are at the bottom of the social hierarchy experience stress due to the fact that, in fact, they do not control their own lives. In addition, due to uncertainty about the future, they often «live in one day» and do not try to make any long-term plans. This is often why they don’t try to lead a healthy lifestyle,” explains Christopher von Rüden.
Is it possible to change the attitude towards one’s own social status?
This is not an easy task, but doable. “Until a more just society is built, a large network of social contacts, participation in various groups and the support of others can help,” explains von Rueden.
“It is advisable to focus on yourself and your life, compare yourself less with others and remember that we are valuable and self-sufficient even without a good career and large incomes. Mark Twain also said that comparison with others robs us of the joy of life, ”recommends Jenny Cundiff in turn.