Types of Stressors That Increase Susceptibility to the Common Cold in Healthy Adults

Forget covering your mouth when you sneeze. The Pittsburgh Cold Study, directed by Sheldon Cohen, a psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University, shows that psychological stressors place adults at an increased risk for catching a cold. People with long-term stress factors---those lasting more than one month---were 2.2 times more likely to catch a cold than were people who experienced short-term periods of stress. Here are some of the most common sources of stress that can lead to lowered immunity to colds.

Work Pressures

• Work-related stresses---such as unemployment, underemployment, tension in the workplace or simply job-related pressure---made the subjects four times more likely to catch the common cold than those with tension-free work situations.

Social Stress

• Social stress might seem like it's all in your head, but it can actually weaken the immune system, making you increasingly susceptible to catching a cold. Bullying, interaction with aggressive individuals or frightening social situations (like public speaking) can all cause social stress. This factor is also common among teenagers, adolescents and children, who often encounter stressful scenarios at school.

Fear and Anxiety

• Fear is actually a cause of stress---or, if you want, you can view stress as a mild form of fear. Regardless of the definition, chronic fear or anxiety can wear on the body as much as it does on the mind, making healthy adults more susceptible to colds and other infections.

Health Concerns

• A chronic, long-term illness is definitely a form of physical as well as psychological stress. Even if the illness isn't yours, having a friend or family member with a chronic disease can wear on you mentally. Even the threat of illness---say, a mole that is potentially cancerous---contributes to overall stress, whether or not it actually comes true.

Aging

• It happens to everyone, but some adults take it harder than others. An intense dislike of aging, a reluctance to let go of your youth, fear of death, or even a hatred of the signs of aging---such as wrinkles or menopause---can be a huge stress factor in a seemingly normal life.

Reducing Stress

• Lowering the number of psychological stressors in your life will make you less susceptible to colds, boost your immune system and give you an overall improved outlook on life. Music therapy, conscious positive thinking, meditation, yoga and exercise are all great ways of alleviating stress. You can even go out for drinks with your friends and de-stress at the same time---a study from Volume 64 of the "Journal of Psychosomatic Research" has shown that attachment and social support among adults reduces psychological stress.