New Study Confirms: Worrying About Illnesses Leads to Illnesses

A new study states that it is unhealthy to worry, and that concerns about diseases increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Bergen in Norway and is published in the 'British Medical Journal'. The study included data from medical follow-up of 7,052 adult respondents over 12 years. Participants answered questionnaires regarding health-related anxieties. Simultaneously, researchers examined the incidence of heart disease and stroke among the participants.

The results of the study indicate that health-related anxieties can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The study suggests that among 10% of respondents defined as having health anxieties, the rate of heart attacks and strokes was 6%. This is twice as much compared to those not defined as having health anxieties, where the risk percentage was only 3%.

The study's findings lead researchers to conclude that health concerns increase the risk of heart disease by 70%. Dr. Lina Aidenberg, who led the study, stated that the findings strengthen the accumulated knowledge, which suggests a causal link between anxiety and an increased risk of heart disease.