Why is the immune system disabled by feelings of hopelessness?
Evolution works by culling the weak and preserving the strong. Mating battles in some species allow only the strongest to reproduce. Predators cull the weak in others. Perhaps the weakening of the human immune system by feelings of helplessness is nature s way of culling the outcasts and the unsuccessful to improve the breed. One massive study in Finland examined the health records of 96,000 widowed people and found that their probability of dying was actually doubled in the week after losing their mate. Feelings of pleasure and well-being are messages from the ancient parts of your brain and limbic system that you are thriving and your immune system is running at peak efficiency. Feelings of hopelessness indicate the opposite.
