CNN is reporting that when people experience treatment that they view is unfair, they can suffer from a variety of physical and psychological problems. More specifically, people are at increased risk for depression, heart problems, and substance abuse disorders.
There are a number of pathways by which unfair treatment could contribute to poor health, De Vogli noted. Such treatment could make a person more hostile and angry, and also increase the risk of depression. People may also choose unhealthy ways to cope with the stress of unfair treatment, such as smoking cigarettes or drinking excessively, he added.
Obviously “unfair treatment” is a difficult thing to study, but what it really reveals is the power that our interpretations of situations can have on our overall health.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 19 May 2007
Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
Meek, W. (2007). Unfair Treatment Impacts Mental Health. Psych Central. Retrieved on February 14, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/05/19/unfair-treatment-impacts-mental-health/
