When you think of stress, you may think of chronic stressors like work, deadlines, or family, or simple daily stressors like driving or traffic. But new research reveals that social stresses, like meeting new people, socializing at parties, or giving speeches even to small groups, can influence your body in negative ways.

Everyone experiences social stress, UCLA researchers say, but it’s how they react that creates chronic inflammation. The study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that individuals who exhibit greater neural sensitivity to social rejection also exhibit greater increases in inflammatory activity to social stress.

Chronic inflammation can increase the risk of a variety of disorders, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and depression.

Their results showed that individuals who exhibited greater neural activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula during social rejection in the brain scanner also exhibited greater increases in inflammatory activity when exposed to acute social stress in the lab.

"This is further evidence of how closely our mind and body are connected," study lead author George Slavich, a postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, said. "We have known for a long time that social stress can 'get under the skin' to increase risk for disease ... this study is the first to identify the neurocognitive pathways that might be involved in inflammatory responses to acute social stress."

One critical question is why neural sensitivity to social rejection would cause an increase in inflammation. Historically, physical threats have historically gone hand in hand with social threats or rejection, so inflammation may be triggered in anticipation of a physical injury. Inflammatory cytokines are released in response to impending (or actual) physical assault because they accelerate wound-healing and reduce the risk of infection.

Slavich suggests that women can reduce inflammation by changing the way they view social situations and perceived social rejections. "If you think you're being socially rejected, ask yourself, what's the evidence? If there is no evidence, then revise your belief."

You can also check out our articles on ways to relieve stress or healthy foods to boost your mood.

Lyssa Myska Allen is editorial director at EndlessBeauty.com