Does adopting a tougher attitude help avoid autoimmune conditions? Popular online trend sparks debate

Health experts confirm that abrupt changes in demeanor will not resolve medical issues, yet internet communities have embraced the idea enthusiastically.

A woman consults with her doctor; illustrative.

(photo credit: illustrissima. Via Shutterstock)

BySHIR PERETS

JULY 7, 2026 15:44

The popular online movement urging women to adopt a firmer stance or risk autoimmune conditions may draw from research, since evidence connects emotional restraint with weakened immune responses.

Prolonged tension, holding back feelings, and difficulty establishing limits can lead to immune system disruptions, according to Dr. Vishakha Shivdasani, a Mumbai-based expert in longevity and disease reversal, in comments to The Nod Magazine. She clarified that this does not imply adopting a harsh attitude would fully avert such conditions.

The focus should center on building solid limits, easing ongoing pressure, and learning self-advocacy, she noted.

Dr. Gabor Mate addressed audiences at the Pasadena Civic Center in April, highlighting how cultural expectations, ongoing tension, and prioritizing others contribute to elevated autoimmune rates among women.

A 2024 Stanford investigation found that four out of five Americans with autoimmune diagnoses are female.

Although evidence ties emotional suppression to conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis, the remedy does not involve sudden attitude shifts.

Mate noted that individuals who accommodate others face higher risks not from personal shortcomings but from cumulative mental strain affecting immunity across years.

This pattern aligns with societal norms that often train women from early life to place others ahead of themselves, increasing vulnerability.

Important clarification: Adopting a harsher demeanor will not resolve an autoimmune condition

The situation does not assign blame to women for their health challenges. Mate emphasized that treatment requires more than medication alone; patients benefit from fostering independence and establishing personal limits.

This perspective underlies the spread of the related online trend.

Even as professionals stress that sudden meanness offers no medical cure, many women online have amplified the meme through personal stories.

One user shared on X/Twitter that embracing a bolder approach eliminated their eczema symptoms.

Another reported improved hair health after expressing opinions more freely.