Self-confidence is often a personality trait that is envied by others. Not many leaders, bosses, or high profile people in society skimp on self-confidence. However, the difference between carrying yourself with pride and being full of yourself is a thin line. A new study shows that being highly narcissistic can even have a negative effect on your health.
A psychologist at the University of Michigan studied 106 male and female undergraduate students and measured their levels of narcissism and the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol activates the body’s stress response which in turn elevates the heart rate and burns a lot of energy to keep the body on alert. Cortisol is critical to surviving a high-stress situation like being chased by a robber or a dog, but too much cortisol at the wrong times can be unhealthy for your heart.
The results of the study show that people with negative aspects of narcissism like exploitation and entitlement have higher levels of cortisol than those who garner more positive aspects of narcissism. This high level of cortisol can eventually lead to heart disease, since it puts so much stress on the heart and blood vessels. Cortisol is actively working all the time in most narcissistic people because they tend to be defensive and aggressive toward anything that threatens their overly-confident demeanor.
In relation to the results of the study, feeling superior and full of yourself can be directly compared to keeping your body under constant stress. Ironically, these types of people often believe they are untouchable, but in fact they are threatening their own body by having this frame of mind.
As stated before, narcissism and self-confidence are two different traits – one being much more dangerous than the other. Self-confidence has the potential of turning into narcissism, but as long as you keep your mind open to others and always keep two feet on the ground, your heart should not suffer.
Do not fall into the trap of thinking too highly of yourself. It is great to feel good about what you are doing and be confident about your future, but never get too ahead of yourself in terms of entitlement. A good leader is someone who is able to listen to other s and take everyone’s opinions into consideration. Going into the real world after graduation puts a lot of stress on your body. It is important to avoid feelings of narcissism to steer clear of added stress on your heart.