Best friend reduces stress

• April 25, 2024

The Human Development Research Center of the University of Concordia , in Montreal , discovered that having a best friend helps cope with negative experiences in children. On the contrary, the absence of a best friend increases the stress and it damages the self esteem .

Scientists mention that having a friend in an unpleasant event has a positive impact on a child's mind and body. When an infant has a conflict, an increase of cortisol , hormone that generates the stress and a decrease in feelings of self esteem .

Excessive cortisol increase can lead to significant physiological changes, including immune suppression and bone deficiency. the rise of stress It makes a child's development slower.

To carry out this research, 103 fifth-year children were asked to register their feelings and experiences in a diary for four days. In addition, their levels of cortisol through saliva tests.

It was found that the cortisol increased and the self esteem decreased when a child had a negative event. However, when the best friend was present while the problem occurred, the levels of cortisol and the feelings of self esteem They changed less.

The researchers also suggest that negative experiences in childhood affect people when they are adults, which includes having low self esteem .

Video Medicine: How to make stress your friend | Kelly McGonigal (April 2024).