By: Joni Sweet
Credit: WavebreakMedia/Shutterstock
Whether you have a student debt load that's higher than your salary, a roommate who never does the dishes, a smartphone that's two generations old, or all of the above, you probably have endless things to complain about. Hey, no one said adulthood was dreamy. But rather than giving you catharsis, regularly airing your grievances might negatively impact your health.
Mental health expert Dr. Gail Saltz, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell School of Medicine, acknowledges that while complaining is a part of everyone's life, you should take a hard look at the degree to which you grumble. "It's often OK to complain," she says. "It's really about the volume, tenacity, and how much expectation that someone else can fix [the problem you're complaining about]."
As if there weren't enough to gripe about already, here are some serious health problems constant complainers can add to their lists of woes.
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It makes you anxious
Constant griping about everything from financial and work woes to delayed commutes and a tiny apartment feeds anxiety. "Someone who is obsessive or anxious about their thoughts may have the same toll of anxiety on their body or mind," says Dr. Saltz. She adds that "anxiety causes bursts of norepinephrine" -- a stress hormone partly responsible for that horrible, panicky fight-or-flight feeling -- which raises blood pressure and blood glucose levels. This, in turn, releases cortisol, and too much of that causes problems like weight gain, immune system suppression, and cardiovascular disease. "Stress is the common denominator. Stress causes aches, pains, and gastrointestinal problems," says Dr. Saltz.
It makes you lonely
When's the last time you were excited to grab beers with your whiny, pessimistic friend? Probably never, because constant criticisms drive people away. "The person you're complaining to may feel pulled into your negative affect, pulled into your dark place, as they try to be empathetic. That can cause harm to your relationship," says Dr. Saltz. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has written that "Loneliness is an invisible epidemic that affects 60 million Americans." Feeling isolated and rejected causes repeated stress-related cortisol releases, increased risk of death, and accelerated cognitive decline.
Too much complaining can also cost you your job -- one of the most stressful life events, and one that will leave you surrounded by even fewer people. "If you are unburdening yourself a lot to your co-workers, it can be off-putting," says Dr. Saltz. "It can make you seem less capable than you are."
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