The impact of sex and personality on physical and mental health

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The previous section mainly discussed the impact of emotional changes such as mood and temperament on physical health. In addition, the quality of a person’s sex life, the strength of their sexual ability, and their personality traits also have a significant impact on their health. This is, of course, a core aspect of mental and emotional health.
I. The Relationship Between Sexual Life, Sexual Ability, and Health

Human beings have three basic needs—food, sex, and nature. Among them, sex is the greatest gift bestowed upon humankind. For other animals, sex is merely a means of reproduction, but humans can deeply enjoy it and derive satisfaction from it. Mutual sexual relations contribute to improved health and longevity. It can also be said to be an important reflection of a person’s quality of life and a necessary condition for health and longevity. However, rapid sexual aging can severely accelerate physical aging. The current reality is: sexual aging is happening too fast! Enjoyment is too little! Before we truly understand it, our sexual abilities are declining without us even realizing it!

Sex and health are mutually reinforcing; a fulfilling sex life can contribute to good health, and only with a healthy body can one enjoy sex. For example, poor liver function or diabetes may affect male erectile function, and patients with severe heart disease have limitations in sexual activity; each individual’s condition must be considered. Unsatisfactory sexual performance may also be a warning sign of illness. It is well known that overly indulgent or loveless sex is detrimental to health. Similarly, prolonged abstinence from sex, frigidity, or sexual repression are also harmful to health. Therefore, neither too much nor too little sex is good; a fulfilling sex life must be done in moderation.
Modern medical clinical research shows that normal and appropriate sexual activity is one of the main conditions for human health, and regular sexual activity is essential for maintaining the physiological activities of organs. In general, appropriate, regular, and, most importantly, loving sexual activity (referred to as sex) has nine major benefits for physical and mental health:

　　1. Sex can destroy stress and relieve tension: According to Wilson, an expert in human sexuality research, the release of hormones during sex makes us unable to feel stress. This response can even last for several hours until hormone levels return to normal levels throughout the body.

　　2. Sex can help you fall asleep: The physical exertion and emotional heightened state during sex are the perfect engine to lull you into sleep . The muscles tense during arousal and relax afterwards, a process that clearly contributes to rest and sleep.

　　3. Sex can help maintain youth: John, a doctor and counselor at the UK Drug Research Centre, says that if you don’t use your sex organs, they tend to atrophy. Sexual activity increases vaginal lubrication and moisturizes the vagina.

　　4. Sex can boost self-confidence: Wilson points out that having regular sex shows that you and your partner love each other. Easily achieving orgasm during sex makes you feel more attractive and boosts your self-confidence.

　　5. Sex can change your appearance: Dr. Smith points out that the stimulation and movement during sex lead to the production of adrenaline. These hormones can improve the skin ‘s transparency, making it look brighter and clearer, and making you look more beautiful.

　　6. Sex brings you and your partner closer, both emotionally and physically: Dr. Wilson says that when your relationship with your partner is developing well, your sex life will also tend to be better. You can use sex to communicate positively with each other, thus showing more affection.

　　7. Sex can relieve menstrual cramps: The hormones released during sex can relax the tension that causes menstrual cramps, and the pain will be relieved when the next period comes.

　 8. Sex can help prolong life: Dr. Smith points out that there is evidence that people in happy marriages live longer than single or divorced people, which is closely related to happy marriages and sex lives.

　　9. Sex is beneficial to the cardiovascular system: Sex can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. If you engage in vigorous exercise, you can achieve a good workout for your cardiovascular system. Dr. Smith states that occasionally increasing your heart rate is not harmful; it’s another way to stretch your cardiovascular system.

Second, personality and health are also closely related.

Personality can be divided into three categories: rational, volitional, and emotional .

People with a rational personality always use reason to measure things and guide their behavior; people with a willpower personality have clear goals and are not easily controlled by others in terms of emotions and behavior; people with an emotional personality always use emotions to deal with things and guide their behavior, and are prone to impulsiveness when their emotions are unstable.
Personality is the psychological characteristic manifested in a person’s attitude and behavior towards people and things. Every person in life, provided they are in a normal mental state, possesses their own unique personality with inherent tendencies, such as being strong, timid, cheerful, impatient, narrow-minded, or aggressive. Due to differences in genetic factors, upbringing, education level, and certain trace elements and chemical substances in the body, the resulting personalities vary greatly. Once formed, personality influences a person’s thinking and behavior, and is also closely related to their health.
In other words, personality determines destiny and health. What kind of personality you have will determine what kind of fate and illness you will have. They are one and the same. People who are easily agitated are not good at heart. People who are easily angry are prone to thyroid and liver problems. People who are argumentative have cervical spine problems. People who are fearful and timid have kidney problems. People who are suspicious have pancreatic problems. People who are indecisive have confused minds.
Negative personality traits can be a catalyst for physical illnesses. Medical research has found that negative personality traits can be a contributing factor to many diseases. Influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, some people develop personality traits that are detrimental to their health. The reasons why negative personality traits affect human health are complex; they can harm the brain, internal organs, and other parts of the body.

Depressed individuals experience excessive suppression of the brain, leading to immune dysfunction, nutritional disorders, reduced tissue metabolism, and premature aging. They are also prone to irritability and anger, causing sudden contractions of the muscles at the stomach’s outlet, preventing the stomach contents from passing and resulting in gastrointestinal dysfunction. This inhibits peristalsis and the secretion of digestive juices, causing indigestion, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and even organic damage.
People who are introverted, melancholic, depressed, and prone to worry are more susceptible to ulcers, neurosis, visceral ptosis, asthma, cancer, constipation, etc.; people who are jealous of others are more susceptible to acute gastritis and may experience symptoms such as headaches, loss of appetite, insomnia, and excessive dreaming; those who are moody, fragile, or have multiple personalities make up the largest proportion of mental illness patients.

Studies have also found that sanguine individuals are more prone to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases related to lipid metabolism disorders, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, arteriosclerosis, cholecystitis, and gallstones. Migraine sufferers are also often characterized by stubbornness and meticulousness.
So, how can one change their character and destiny? Treat all setbacks, disasters, frustrations, misfortunes, disappointments, and sorrows as positive things. This approach is extremely effective in rapidly changing one’s character and destiny, and can even cure many ailments. The more advanced science becomes, the more diseases will emerge, because science can never truly conquer the forces of nature. Therefore, only by following the natural order can one cultivate a mind that encompasses all things and all phenomena. True stillness lies in the absence of discrimination, allowing one to see their true nature . One must achieve non-action through action, calming one’s mind.

This article is excerpted from the section ” The Influence of Mindset on Physical Health ” by Huang Kaibin.

The article is incomplete, to be continued…