Social Rejection Affect Our Life

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Social rejection can cause stress in preschoolers, adolescents, and adults. There are many good techniques and resources for dealing with stress. Perhaps the most important fact is this: Nearly all the stress-related factors in our lives can be modified. We begin with a little help from our friends. One of the best antidotes for stress is social support A new study has found that friendships serve as a buffer against the negative effects of classmates' rejection The study, conducted by researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands. This study looked at almost 100 fourth graders -- an age that's been understudied in this regard- to determine whether victimization and exclusion by peers were related to increases in cortisol(a human stress hormone, chronically high levels can have negative effects on how we function, especially on our immune system.) , and whether friendships moderated this association. Researchers asked children to nominate classroom peers who were often bullied, picked on, or excluded by other children. Children who were excluded by their classmates had elevated levels of cortisol at school, the study found. These findings may indicate that exclusion is stressful. This was even more pronounced for excluded kids who had few friends or had friendships that were characterized as low in quality. "Together, the results demonstrate that although friends cannot completely eliminate the stress of exclusion at school, they do reduce it," according to Marianne Riksen-Walraven, professor of developmental psychology at Radboud University Nijmegen. SOCIAL CAN AFFECT OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH Close friendships are vital to health, happiness, and even workplace productivity. Relationships serve as a buffer during tough times, which in turn improves our cardiovascular functioning and decreases stress levels. People with

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