2023-12-12 04:19:55
Refusing to go to Christmas parties would be good for your mental health.
This is one of the conclusions of a study carried out by scientists from West Virginia University, in the United States, and published by the American Psycholgical Association.
After surveying 2,000 people, researchers established that 77% of them accepted invitations to a Christmas party simply because they feared the reaction of their hosts if they refused to go.
Some fear that such a decision might even weaken their relationship with the person who invited them.
“I once went to an event that I really didn’t want to go to, because I was afraid that whoever invited me would be upset if I didn’t go. This type of experience seems to be quite common,” said the study’s lead author, Julian Givi.
Through various experiments, scientists have noted that a majority of people amplify the possible reaction of their host to a refusal to go to a party.
However, going to a party out of social pressure or fear of having to say no often causes stress and anxiety, and can even lead to overwork. All of these consequences can be avoided by simply declining the invitation.
In certain situations, imitating the character Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ “The Christmas Carol”, who shuns Christmas festivities, can therefore have beneficial effects on mental health.
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