We hardly think of the effect certain words will have on well-being, but science suggests there’s a link between our vocabulary and our health. In fact, there are three words you probably say quite a bit during your day that are linked to poor mental health. According to social psychology research, patients suffering from depression demonstrated a persistent and obsessive overuse of first-person singular pronouns, such as I, me, and myself. But hold your horses. The research doesn’t imply that using such words actually causes depression. It is, however, important to note that the more patients verbally expressed these words in dialogue, the more it was linked to depression even eight months later. The research found that frequent use of first-person singular pronouns went hand in hand with interpersonal problems characterized by what scientists called an “intrusive style,” including inappropriate self-disclosure, attention seeking, and an inability to spend time alone. So, how does one replace these common words? The simple thing to do is rely more greatly on first-person plural pronouns such as we and us, which emphasizes social relationships and togetherness of selfishness. Still, the research doesn’t mean you have to rid these words from your vocabulary. Rather, it simply highlights how our word choice actually plays a role in our mental health.
Why you should consider using these 3 words less often
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