219. Too much self-confidence might be bad for your health
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
If you have too much self-confidence, it might hurt your health. Each person’s level of self-confidence is different, and it influences our behaviors, actions, and decisions. It also plays a role in risk-taking, drinking alcohol, and more. In this new study, researchers at the University of Vienna collected data from over 80,000 European adults aged 50 and older. They found that people who overestimate their health see doctors 17 percent less often than people who more accurately perceive their health. A similar trend was found regarding seeing dentists for regular checkups. Seeing your doctor less could allow medical conditions to advance undetected and untreated. On the other hand, people who underestimate their health saw doctors 21 percent more frequently.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
