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Media Relations

How women can prevent 'energy vampires' from sapping their health

You know the friend you have who always sees the negative side of an issue? Or maybe it is a family member who always sees life as a huge, long ordeal? Whoever it is, we all interact with someone who can never see anything positive in life. But, how do these relationships impact a woman's health?

Marsha Heffron Williamson, lecturer in the School of Nursing at IU East, said a woman's relationships, indeed, can impact her health. The good news — women can do things to counteract the impact.

Heffron Williamson is also a certified nurse-midwife, and she teaches several classes at IU East -- maternal-newborn nursing, professional growth and empowerment, and women's health. She says all personal relationships impact a woman's health in some way, whether they are with professional colleagues, friends or family.

"As a nurse, I have a holistic philosophy about health," Heffron Williamson said. "Physical, emotional and spiritual health all are connected and must be in balance in order for a person to be in a state of optimum health."

Heffron Williamson tells us how personal relationships impact a woman's health in the following interview:

Q: How do personal relationships impact a woman's health?
A: Problems in personal relationships cause stress and emotional imbalance. One should never underestimate the negative effects of stress on health. One of the books we use in a course I teach is Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Christiane Northrup, M.D. I love this book because it highlights the connections between physical, emotional and spiritual health in women.

Q: Do women react to problems in a relationship differently than men do? If so, why?
A: Women's brains work differently than men's when it comes to personal relationships. Compared to men, women tend to be more in tune with others' emotions much of the time.

Q: What can a happy personal relationship do for a woman's health?
A: Something that comes to mind is a best friend you have a good relationship with. Happy relationships help in stress control, which leads to balance, which leads to good health.

Q: What are some ways to prevent problems in a relationship from harming your health?
A: I think there are a few things we can do. First is to express our feelings and needs in constructive ways. Second, and probably most important, is to avoid negative people who sap our energy. Women are so busy with so many roles today, it is essential that we maintain our energy and balance. We need to listen to our inner voices and trust our gut-reactions and intuition about people. Surrounding ourselves with negative "energy vampires" is draining and stressful. Women need to seek out positive people who provide them with positive energy by accepting and appreciating them for who they are — and people with whom they truly enjoy spending time. Also, don't be an "energy vampire" to others.

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