Claim: A Facebook page named Doctor of the Future asserted that over 95% of illnesses stem from negative emotions such as anger or a bad mood. This suggests that emotional disturbances are the leading cause behind nearly all health conditions.
Verdict:
UNSUBSTANTIATED! There is no reliable scientific data or endorsement from recognized public health authorities to back this assertion.
Detailed Analysis
On May 17, 2024, the Facebook page Doctor of the Future, which boasts over 460,000 followers, shared a post claiming that more than 95% of diseases are triggered by anger or a negative mood. The post attributed the root cause of most illnesses to these emotional states.
Anger is indeed a significant emotion that connects mental and physical health, influencing how the body manages stress and how the brain interprets experiences. Scientific investigations often examine this relationship to better understand how persistent anger can impact overall health.
By September 17, 2025, this post had attracted over 2,500 likes, 200+ comments, and more than 320 shares.
A review of the comments revealed that most readers accepted the claim as true, while a minority expressed skepticism.
For instance, one user, Jessica Dalu Chimezie, shared, “As a breastfeeding mother, I’ve noticed that when I get very angry, my milk supply diminishes and I experience headaches. This post resonates with my experience.”
Another commenter, Ginika Mercy, added, “I can confirm this; I tend to vomit whenever I’m extremely angry.”
Conversely, Abdul’Basit Adedoja Kadejo expressed doubt, stating, “This is unbelievable! Are bad dietary choices no longer the cause? I can’t accept this claim.”
The same page reposted similar content on June 5, 2025, which received over 4,500 likes, 200+ comments, and 400+ shares.
Given the widespread reach and potential impact on public perception, this claim warranted a thorough fact-check.
Fact-Checking
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that mental health is a vital component of overall health. Mental disorders can increase susceptibility to certain physical illnesses and complicate recovery processes.
WHO also recognizes the interplay between mental and physical health, considering it alongside factors such as infectious agents, genetics, environmental influences, lifestyle, and psychosocial elements.
While anger and negative moods are acknowledged as contributors to mental health challenges, the sweeping claim that they cause 95% of diseases is not supported by evidence.
Scientific Evidence
Research published by the National Library of Medicine in 2024 found that high stress levels and depression are linked to a moderately increased risk of coronary heart disease, potentially leading to heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.
Additional studies using multivariable Mendelian randomization have identified associations between mood instability and certain cardiovascular conditions.
However, these associations are limited to specific diseases and show only modest effects, far from supporting the idea that negative mood causes the vast majority of illnesses.
Moreover, research indicates that even when major risk factors are addressed, disease incidence does not decrease by anywhere near 95%.
Why the 95% Statistic is Unlikely
Two main reasons undermine the credibility of the 95% figure. First, as noted by the Cleveland Clinic, the term “bad mood” is ambiguous, encompassing a range of states from a brief angry outburst to chronic anger, stress, or clinical depression-each with distinct health consequences.
Second, numerous WHO studies confirm that many diseases have no emotional basis. For example, infectious diseases like tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites, are clearly linked to pathogens rather than mood.
Similarly, genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia, as well as injuries and congenital anomalies, have physical origins unrelated to emotional states.
Expert Opinion
Dr. Yakubu Anas Ibrahim, a psychiatrist at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, acknowledged that mood influences health but dismissed the 95% claim as exaggerated and inaccurate.
“This is an overgeneralization. Diseases encompass a wide range of conditions; while some are affected by emotions, many are not. Even within psychiatry, numerous disorders are not emotion-dependent,” he explained.
“There is no scientific backing for this claim. It lacks epidemiological support and is misleading. For example, how can one link diabetes, caused by pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction and elevated blood sugar, directly to anger?”
Summary
The assertion that over 95% of diseases result from anger or a bad mood is unverified and misleading. Comprehensive research and expert insights confirm that while emotional health impacts wellbeing, it is not the predominant cause of most illnesses.
