Saturday, August 13, 2011 ScienceDaily (Aug. 11, 2011) —
Constant bitterness can make a person ill, according to
Concordia University researchers who have examined the
relationship between failure, bitterness and quality of life.
"Persistent bitterness may result in global feelings of anger
and hostility that, when strong enough, could affect a person's
physical health," says Carsten Wrosch, a professor in the
Concordia University Department of Psychology and a member of
the Centre for Research in Human Development. Unlike regret,
which is about self-blame and a case of "woulda, coulda,
shoulda," acrimony points the finger elsewhere -- laying the
blame for failure on external causes. "When harboured for a long
time," says Wrosch, "bitterness may forecast patterns of
biological dysregulation (a physiological impairment that can
affect metabolism, immune response or organ function) and
physical disease." The jury is still out on this proposal.
Wrosch and Renaud say bitterness can be avoided, if people who
exper