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Studies Good friends could increase our pain tolerance
Researchers are now studying the impact of social networks on human pain tolerance. They found that people with more friends had a significantly increased pain tolerance. Thus, the amount of pain that people can endure depends on their friends.
Researchers at the University of Oxford found in a new study that people have increased pain tolerance if they have many friends. Thus, people with a large social network endure more pain than people without many friends. The physicians published the results of their study in the scientific journal "Scientific Reports".
Scientists found that people with good friends and big social networks have a higher pain tolerance. (Image: Kalim / fotolia.com) Study examines the effects of endorphin
The researchers were particularly interested in endorphin in their study, a substance found in our brain. Endorphins are part of the regulation of pain and pleasure, explain the physicians. The chemical is our body's natural painkiller, and it's also responsible for feelings of friendship, explains Katerina Johnson of the University of Oxford. There is a theory that social interactions with friends can trigger positive emotions when endorphins bind to the opioid receptors in our brain. This then creates a kind of so-called "feel-good factor". We experience this when we see our friends, Johnson adds.
Most stressed and people with mental illnesses have small social networks
Endorphins have a potent analgesic effect that is even stronger than morphine, Johnson explains. The researchers used the subject's pain tolerance as a way to evaluate brain endorphin activity. They found that people with larger social networks have higher tolerance to pain. The current results are also very interesting because other recent studies suggested that our endorphin system may be disturbed by mental illnesses such as depression, Johnson explains. This could cause depressed people often suffer from a lack of motivation and usually live very socially withdrawn, adds the doctor.
People who often suffer from stress usually also have smaller social networks. In addition, the researchers report that fittere people often have a smaller circle of friends. Because people who train a lot, have less time to maintain their social networks, the doctors suspect. However, both physical and social activities release endorphins. Maybe some people use sports exercises to get a so-called endorphin kick instead of socializing with other people, Johnson suggests.
People with large social networks have clear benefits in pain testing
The results of the study show a connection between stress and smaller social networks. People with a larger social network may simply be better at managing their stress, researchers say. Or it could mean that people with a lot of stress simply have less time for social activities. As a result, their network shrinks, explain the experts. Participants in the study were asked to complete a questionnaire related to their closest social networks. In addition, information about the lifestyle and personality were identified, say the authors. Afterwards, the scientists performed a test in which the subjects had to lean against a wall with a straight back. They bent their knees by 90 degrees. Now they were asked to hold this position as long as possible, the scientists explain. The researchers observed how long the participants could endure the pain occurring.
Of course, there were differences in individual fitness of the subjects, which allowed some individuals to hold the position described longer. But the results clearly show that the people who could endure the pain test the longest, even had the largest social networks, add the physicians. (As)