Human beings need relationships. Your relationships, past, present, personal or professional, represent a major source of stress in your life. Chronic stress causes breakdown of your immune system. This leads to many emotional and physical disorders including heart disease, fibromyalgia, cancer, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and depression.

You can manage your stress many ways. Stress management strategies include deep breathing, relaxation exercises, physical exercise, meditation, and yoga.

But did you know that if you reduce your interpersonal stress you can improve health? Most of my clients who suffer from depression, anxiety or other mental illnesses complain about one thing – relationship problems at work or at home.

Like most people, I am sure you have heard a million times that you must quit smoking to reduce risks of cancer and enhance health. Have you heard the results of divorce studies about men and divorce? These indicate that men going through divorce experience stress related damage equal to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

Is the opposite true? If you reduce conflict in your relationships and avoid divorce, do you create a health remedy?

I'm sure you know that we must exercise, eat healthy and watch our cholesterol if we want to avoid a heart attack. But have you heard that an element closely linked to heart disease has been defined as the "hostility " factor, or "cynical mistrust of others?" then it must follow that if you improve your conflict resolution skills and manage your anger you create cardiovascular health remedies.

We know that most individuals surviving cancer will try many complementary and alternative options to lengthen their lives. But did you know that studies have shown that women surviving breast cancer can double their survival time if they are involved in a close, intimate support network?

These and many other studies confirm the fact that healthier relationships lead to better health, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Most of us did not learn effective interpersonal skills at home. So why do so few individuals consider relationship skills training right from the start, before the stress becomes chronic? Probably because we haven't been made aware of the facts.

The good news is that anyone can improve their relationships through learning simple skills including active or reflective listening, conflict resolution, behavioral changes, and thought management, among others.
If you want less stress, and more fun and fulfillment in your life, consider exploring options for relationship skill building.

Whether the relationship is past or present, personal or professional, you can make it better and get healthier in the process.

About the Author
Pat Swan, M.S., LMFT: Life & Relationship Coach, Speaker, Trainer, Author of "Watch Out! Your Relationships Can Be Hazardous To Your Health." http://www.RelationshipSkillville.com and http://www.StopRelationshipStress.com . Mailto:pat@patswan.com .