The nicest experiences, happiness in fact, has been documented as happening when you are with the people closest to you–family, friends, co-workers. That is, as long as they are awesome people who treat you right.

Long before there was “social media” anthropologists stretching back as far as Charles Darwin himself dubbed humans as “social animals.” This is why most of us cherish being around our loved ones, and the worst penalty imaginable is solitary confinement!

Hopefully, the people in your circle have great attitudes, since it really is no picnic to be around negative, critical, Debbie Downers’ or Depressing Davids’ bummer attitudes.

But, unfortunately, we all have some negative people around us, and experts say that these so called “toxic people,” can be a drain on your emotional, mental and even physical health!

How Can People Be Toxic?

According to years of research in the fields of social science, neuroscience, and evolutionary history, the people around us do have a huge influence on us. Internationally known psychologist and New York Times Best-selling author Dr. Daniel Goleman, describes “emotional contagion.” His research has revealed that groups contain an emotional sender that sets the emotional state for the whole group.

Studies have shown that a leader with positive attitudes spreads his or her upbeat mood and positivity, and therefore, enhances the performance of the whole group. On the other hand, if a leader projects a negative attitude–that also influences the mood of the group in that direction.

Other experts in the field also recommend having a network of people who have positive attitudes, who influence a positive mood, as well as give you important positive support. Surrounding yourself with people that have caring and loving attitudes has even been shown to boost your immune system and help prevent disease.

This should come as no surprise, since research has proven that the root cause of so many diseases is stress, and one of the top stressors is not having a community of positive supportive people around you.

“You Make Me Sick”

That may be a common and pejorative insult, but medical science has found it can often be true!

There is a recently identified medical condition known as adrenal fatigue. As Dr. Michael Lam explains, the major cause of adrenal fatigue is chronic stress. Adrenal fatigue has been shown often and most commonly, to be the result of emotions. He explains that adrenal fatigue is one of many new conditions in modern medicine that link the mind and the body. The idea is that with a strong mind and body connection you can achieve optimal health through balance – a condition known as homeostasis. On the other hand, conditions like chronic stress, adrenal fatigue, and fibromyalgia are all manifestations of negative forces that can and do ruin your body.

Negative attitudes and negative emotional patterns are a major cause of emotional stress, as many studies show. Other studies have shown that fear itself triggers more than 1,000 physical and chemical responses and spurs to action more than 30 different hormones.

Lam councils that if you find yourself experiencing the symptoms of adrenal fatigue syndrome – a general sense of not feeling well, tiredness, or “gray” feelings — don’t despair, as it can be a wakeup call to let go of toxic and harmful attitudes and relationships, and put some time and effort into subtle changes in attitudes. Dr. Lam continues to explain that toxic relationships and emotional baggage are all damaging to any healing processes.

You are smart enough to avoid poisonous snakes, and toxic mushrooms, so do the same in your social circles, and detoxify by getting as far away from the Venomous Vickies and Toxic Toms in your life!