Thinking Positively Can Make You Feel Worse
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Culture, Science
In America, we tend to laud the optimist and shun the pessimist. Not surprisingly, we are inundated with bromides about positive thinking and self-affirmation. But, turns out, all that stuff might not work. A new study published in Psychological Science argues that forcing positive thoughts can have negative consequences.
I’ve always thought self affirmations were a load of crap. Of course, I get itchy anytime someone tries to convince me that the world is roses and bunny rabbits. It’s my personality. But apparently, I’m not alone. In fact, the positive-thinking study found that:
[U]nfavorable thoughts about ourselves intrude very easily, especially among those of us with low self-esteem — so easily and so persistently that even when a positive alternative is presented, it just underlines how awful we believe we are.
The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than try to reject and fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can also make things worse. Mindfulness and meditation techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic perspective. Call it the power of negative thinking.
In other words, we need to learn to cope. Trying to force ourselves to be positive and happy just makes us realize how negative and unhappy we actually are. That’s not to say we should mope around and drink all day. But it is saying we shouldn’t feel bad for not being happy. Being functional is good enough.
And isn’t that wisdom for our new age?
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 and is filed under Culture, Science. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:05 am
I’m not good enough, I’m not smart enough, and dog-gone it, people can’t stand me.
July 8th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
We are all dead in the end.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
So, are you saying you’re pessimistic about optimism being bad for you or your optimistic that pessimism is good for you?
July 8th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
isn’t this what the secret was? think positive? also my mother in law always tries to act positive even when in reality things are shitty, and I don’t know a more miserable person right now.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:03 am
Think of it this way: optimists mostly get unpleasant surprises.
July 9th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
The point was missed. Mindfulness and meditation can help in ways most people do not realize. I know it works.