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ysabetwordsmithNegative Social Ties as Emerging Risk Factors for Accelerated Aging, Inflammation, and Multimorbidity
Negative social ties, or "hasslers," are pervasive yet understudied components of social networks that may accelerate biological aging and morbidity. Using ego-centric network data and DNA methylationbased biological aging clocks from a representative Indiana sample, we demonstrate that negative social ties are surprisingly common: on average, one in four network members is described as a hassler, and nearly 60% of individuals report having at least one. Results show that having more hasslers is associated with accelerated biological aging, with the most pronounced associations observed among individuals whose networks comprise more than 50% hasslers. Crucially, not all negative ties show the same influence: ambivalent ties providing both support and stress show stronger aging acceleration than exclusively negative relationships. Beyond epigenetic aging, hassling exposure is associated with poorer self-rated health, higher levels of depression and anxiety, elevated inflammation, greater multimorbidity, and adverse anthropometric indicators. These findings together highlight the critical role of negative social ties in biological aging as chronic stressors and the need for interventions that reduce the impact of negative social stressors embedded within close social networks to promote healthier aging trajectories.
Loneliness may have high risks, but it is often better than being harassed or outright abused. It's nice to have positive social ties, but they only help if they really are positive.
Negative social ties, or "hasslers," are pervasive yet understudied components of social networks that may accelerate biological aging and morbidity. Using ego-centric network data and DNA methylationbased biological aging clocks from a representative Indiana sample, we demonstrate that negative social ties are surprisingly common: on average, one in four network members is described as a hassler, and nearly 60% of individuals report having at least one. Results show that having more hasslers is associated with accelerated biological aging, with the most pronounced associations observed among individuals whose networks comprise more than 50% hasslers. Crucially, not all negative ties show the same influence: ambivalent ties providing both support and stress show stronger aging acceleration than exclusively negative relationships. Beyond epigenetic aging, hassling exposure is associated with poorer self-rated health, higher levels of depression and anxiety, elevated inflammation, greater multimorbidity, and adverse anthropometric indicators. These findings together highlight the critical role of negative social ties in biological aging as chronic stressors and the need for interventions that reduce the impact of negative social stressors embedded within close social networks to promote healthier aging trajectories.
Loneliness may have high risks, but it is often better than being harassed or outright abused. It's nice to have positive social ties, but they only help if they really are positive.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-25 08:05 am (UTC)Thoughts
Date: 2026-02-25 08:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-25 11:15 am (UTC)Yes, my hasslers (who were members of my family) cut me off a few years ago and though I feel like I should try for a reconciliation because they're family, my life has been so much better without them.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-25 01:33 pm (UTC)Imagine a world where hassling was *strongly* discouraged....
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-25 03:20 pm (UTC)Just quoting to restate its truth. The relationships that we can easily state are negative, are easier to walk away from, or at least to "put in their box." The relationship that swings between safety and hassling? You never know where you are going to stand with that one.