What 'PDA' Really Says About Your Relationship - YourTango

We hate it when we're out with our friends and the only couple in the group can't stop shoving their tongues down each other's throats.

Even though we find it gross and awkward, studies suggest that PDA means the lovey-dovey couple is happier and healthier than couples who don't show affection in public.

What PDA Means in Relationships

PDA, or public displays of affection, and is when couples show their love for one another by touching, kissing, or being physically close while in public.

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And a study from Ohio State University revealed that "couples who are more intimate are more likely to be satisfied and happy in their relationships than couples who refrain from showing love for each other too often."

RELATED: 18 Signs Your Partner Is Touch Starved & Needs More Affection

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The study included 92 couples, 46 of which were unsatisfied and unhappy with their significant other, as well as 46 pairs who "considered themselves mutually happy and satisfied with their partners." Results showed that couples who said they enjoyed life more while with their partner were being intimate with them as well.

The more affectionate couples were most likely to have "stronger mental health."

How Unhealthy Relationships Affect Physical Health

A study from the University of Utah also explored the links between bad or failing relationships and human health.

During this study, 276 couples we examined to determine if depression was "the only factor affected by a bad marriage."

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Interestingly, this study found that "an unhealthy union actually leads to much worse effects (but only in middle-aged women), including high blood pressure, extra belly fat, and an increased risk of heart attack and diabetes."

RELATED: No Affection Killing Your Relationship? How To Save An Affection-Starved Marriage

Cardiologist and medical director of New York University's Women's Heart Program, Dr. Nieca Goldberg, told CNN, "I think we've got to get used to the fact that a toxic relationship is toxic to your whole health... There have been studies that show that if a marriage is stressful, those women have higher rates of heart attack."

Ladies, you can become less likely to have a heart problem if you get comfortable with your significant other and show them you're attracted to them. So don't be afraid to be disgustingly adorable with your lover in public.

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Just make sure that you stop engaging in PDA before the clothes come off, because we get it: you love each other.

RELATED: How To Fix Your Relationship When Love And Affection Fade

Stacy Narine is a regular contributor to YourTango.

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