Optimism & Health
PSY/220
The article, Impact of Optimism and Positive Emotions on Mental Health, from the magazine Social Science International was written by Geetika Patnaik. Patanik indicates that optimism is an attitude that determines how our certain circumstances and events conclude in the best possible scenario. Optimism is a characteristic that most people look for in their friends because of the positive emotions and motivations that these types of people exude. Optimists and pessimists approach problems differently, and their ability to cope successfully with adversity differs as a result.
Optimism is a state of mind in which the person realizes their own abilities and can find ways to cope with life’s stressors and everyday demands. It allows people to be productive and contributing members of society. Optimism uses positive emotions, positive thinking and self-confidence to nurture a certain psychological well-being. This well-being is essential to the stable mental health of any individual.
The article states that an optimist has the following characteristics: “A clear vision of exciting and meaningful life, behavior is goal directed as per his/her vision, confident with a can-do attitude, exerts much personal control over his/her life, takes his/her level of responsibility, outgoing, lives a prosperous life”. (Patanik, 2013) People can also change their levels of optimism depending on the situations they are in. They can be at the higher end of the spectrum as big optimists with generalized, large expectations and people on the lower end as little optimists with specific expectations.
Optimism also plays a role in the recovery from illness and disease. Studies have investigated the role of optimism in people undergoing treatment for cancer, asthma, arthritis, heart disease and other illnesses. These studies have found that optimistic people experience less distress when faced with potentially life-altering or...