Cynicism Shortens Lifespan

Have you or I ever acted cynically or encountered it? Rudely refusing someone who wants to ask a question, belittling others or discriminating, telling people to be quiet, saying unpleasant things, and so on. A study indicates that people with cynical attitudes and distrust towards others are more susceptible to dementia. Dementia is a mental disability characterized by a decline in brain function, leading to a loss of clear thinking ability and eventually memory loss or forgetfulness. Cynicism arises when someone perceives others as selfish and unreliable. Psychologists describe cynicism as a form of chronic anger that develops over time. This attitude has long been associated with health problems, such as heart attacks. Anna-Maija Tolppanen, a researcher from the University of Eastern Finland, stated that there are studies indicating that people who are easily cynical tend to die sooner or have poorer health. "No one has yet linked cynicism with dementia, but there are studies suggesting that open and optimistic people have a lower risk of developing dementia," said Tolppanen. A research report by Tolppanen and her colleagues in the journal Neurology, published by the American Academy of Neurology on May 28, 2014, indicated a link between cynicism and dementia. Tolppanen stated that the study proved that a person's outlook on life and their perception of others' personalities affect their health. "The existence of a link between the influence of cynicism and dementia can help us reduce the risk of the disease," said Tolppanen. In their study, researchers administered dementia tests and questionnaires to measure the level of cynicism in 1,449 individuals with an average age of 71. Questions faced by participants included: "Many people will lie to get ahead"; "It's safer not to trust anyone"; and "Most people would cheat a little to gain an advantage rather than lose an opportunity". Of the 622 people who completed the dementia tests, an average of eight years after the study began, 46 were diagnosed with the disease. Furthermore, individuals with high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and smoking habits can increase the risk of developing dementia. Researchers found that those with high levels of cynicism were three times more likely to develop dementia. Out of 164 people with high cynicism levels, 14 developed dementia. In contrast, among 212 people with low cynicism levels, only nine suffered from dementia. Sumber : https://www.facebook.com/AdiWGunawan?fref=nf