| credits: ebony.com
For
many people, argument is a way of life. At home, they argue with their
spouses, children and other relations that come handy for the caustic
project.
At work, the practice continues. Instead
of taking a deep breath and gently explain issues, they blow their top.
The other person must listen to their “point of view” or the discussion
won’t proceed further!
Ever heard of road rage? It’s usually
attended by argle-bargle, especially when a road user has a brush at
another’s vehicle. Worse still, the more eloquent the individual is, the
more ferocious the altercation — he must win at all costs, even if it
kills him slowly!
What about those who use public
transport? An ordinary request to have a person shift a bit so as to
allow another passenger sit a little more comfortably can set the entire
bus aflame — argument-wise, that is. And for the next half an hour or
so, the verbal missiles can continue to flow, sometimes resulting in
fisticuffs.
And, are you a parent to teenage
children? For many parents in this group, they seem to believe that the
only way to get their teenagers to show a sense of responsibility is by
shouting at them all the time or engaging in frequent confrontation that
ends in ferocious verbal exchanges.
By the way, there are times you see
people make phone calls and they behave as if they want to beat up the
person on the other end! They gesticulate wildly, shout themselves
coarse and may not even allow the person they are speaking with to
contribute to the conversation as they wrangle away, burning airtime and
energy in the process.
The cross fire may even be about inane
issues that could be let go for the sake of peace, but because of some
people’s disposition to violent reactions, they must make their views
known — and in forceful, argumentative manner for that matter.
Anger and argument
But have you ever noticed one thing about
argument? Those who indulge in it don’t smile while it lasts. In fact,
the more vociferous it is, the more likely you are to frown and be
angry. Any wonder that scientists are now warning that frequent argument
can cut short your life!
A research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health
warns that frequent arguments with partners, relatives, or neighbours
may boost the risk of death from any cause in middle age.
Why we argue
The researchers suggest that frustrations
and disappointment with life seem to be responsible for most arguments.
They also note that men and unemployed persons are most vulnerable.
They conclude that constant arguing seems
to be the most harmful for health; and that supportive social networks
and strong relationships are good for general health and wellbeing.
The scientists note that “frequent
worries or demands generated by partners and/or children were linked to a
50-100 per cent increased risk of death from all causes.
Lead researcher and an associate
professor of medical sociology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark,
Rikke Lund, warns: “Having an argument every now and then is fine, but
having it all the time seems dangerous. They can cause a dysregulation
of endocrine, cardiovascular and even immune system functioning.”
The science of the situation is easy to
grasp, experts say. According to General Practitioner, Dr. Innocent Obi,
since argument is almost always attended by angry feelings, it
automatically leads to increase in the cortisol level.
He explains, “When you are stressed as a
result of anger or argument, this stress hormone will be secreted into
your bloodstream. When cortisol stays for a long time in your
bloodstream because you are frequently in argumentative posture, it
culminates in various negative effects.
“It could lead to impaired cognitive
performance, suppressed thyroid function, high blood sugar, decreased
bone density, decrease in muscle tissue, higher blood pressure, lowered
immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing
and other health consequences.”
Again, scientists say, people who secrete
higher levels of cortisol in response to stress also tend to eat more
food — especially foods that are higher in carbohydrates — than people
who secrete less cortisol.
And, of course, with more food, the
tendency to acquire more abdominal fat as you gain weight is there. And
as your abdominal fat gets dense, so also do you stand risks of heart
attacks, strokes, the development of metabolic syndrome, higher levels
of “bad” cholesterol and lower levels of “good” cholesterol — all of
which can lead to other health problems!
If you are still not convinced that
frequently arguing could send you to early grave, how about this:
Scientists at Harvard School of Public Health warn that stress harms our
physical and psychological health, leading to anxiety, depression and
addiction.
Reproductive endocrinologists also say
stress can affect a woman’s fertility. Researchers found that women with
the highest levels of the stress indicator, alpha-amylase, in their
saliva were 29 per cent less likely to get pregnant than women with the
lowest levels
Worse still, Obi advises, frequent anger
can increase your risks of heart diseases. He explains, “Emotions such
as anger and hostility speed up the heart rate and breathing. And as
your blood vessels constrict because of all these negative emotions,
your blood pressure will also go up. All these activities cause wear and
tear on the heart and cardiovascular system.”
To buttress this, a study published in
the Journal of the American College of Cardiology states that “anger and
hostility are significantly associated with more heart problems in
initially healthy people, as well as a worse outcome for patients
already diagnosed with heart disease.”
The bottom line: there are times that
argument is inevitable, but don’t ever make it a way of life. Better
still, once the other party takes the issue to negative level, step out
and wait for more auspicious time to calmly discuss the issue
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