Optimism and Health - Essay Example

?Optimism and Health Effects of optimism on physical and psychological health Optimism is one of the most important qualities that a human being can possess. It makes one to focus on the positive side of life and how to make something good out of a wretched situation. For an optimist, a glass containing water half its capacity is half-full and not half empty. It is therefore be true to state that such persons do not focus on the empty and lost side of life. Instead, their interest lies on the remaining possibilities and positive expectations for the future. This is an admirable quality that could affect the physical and psychological health of a person positively. This paper gives a summary of the two peer articles that analyze the effects of optimism on physical and psychological health. Physical health Scheier and Carver (1992) states that health psychologists have come to discover what people have known for years. That is that positive thinking is beneficial/helpful. Studies that analyze the biological outcomes of optimism give a good endorsement on the positive effects of this human quality on physical health. It has been found that people who are optimistic in their expectations report of better physical health. An example of this is that optimism predict lower chances of re-hospitalization after a bypass graft surgery in the coronary artery and reduced chances of ambulatory blood pressure. Optimism has also been associated with reduced mortality rates in some types of diseases because of the resultant improved quality of physical and mental health. This situation has been seen in neck and head cancer patients (Segerstrom, 2005). Under difficult times, optimists remain engaged instead of avoiding or giving up. This engagement is important because it can lead to the termination of the problem through problem solving. Engagement is also important for patient co-operation and participation in medical treatment and procedures leading to better patient outcomes (Scheier and Carver, 1992). This leads to quick recovery and improved health. Optimists are more likely to adapt to lifestyles that promote both physical and psychological health as compared to pessimists. A study was conducted on a large group of teenagers and it focused on their optimistic thinking style, coping style and interpersonal competence such as conflict resolution and supporting others emotionally. The study revealed that optimistic teens have lower rates of antisocial behavior, anxiety and depression (Scheier and Carver, 1992). Optimism is therefore a protective factor against anxiety, stress and depression and related types of mental ill health. It is helps in their management and this in turn is associated with more health benefits. Optimism is also a protective factor for substance use among girls and consequently preventing the psychological aftermaths of this. Psychological health One type of optimism that has been found to have positive effects on psychological health is dispositional optimism. According to Segerstrom (2005), dispositional optimism has been found to predict a higher psychological adjustment. This type of optimism is marked by generalized positive expectations. Many studies that have been carried out on the effects of optimism reveal that the more positive individuals expect their future to be, the fewer the psychiatric symptoms and the better their mood. Optimistic individuals also adjust better to various situations. Pregnancy, college or change of jobs and cardiac surgery are just but a mention of them. Optimists are less likely to feel threatened and psychologically affected by negative situations because they ascribe good motives to others and interpret situations as positively as possible. Therefore, they are less likely to feel hated, rejected, sidelined or disfavored. At the same time, some optimists are able to dissociate the internal mood they experience from external circumstances, however bad it may be. This means that such persons are not much predisposed to psychological conditions like stress and depression. If they are affected in a way, they are able to cope adaptively and their process of healing is faster. At any time, they are able to ignite a positive appraisal for themselves. Optimistic people always engage in a positive self-talk and positive self-thinking. This does not mean they ignore or run away from situations that are not pleasant. Rather, they approach them from a positive and productive perspectives. They contemplate what is going to happen , not the worst. As a result of this, optimism has been found to be associated with lower levels of distress, lower risks of death from cardiovascular conditions, higher resistance to common cold and better levels of coping with hardships (Segerstrom, 2005). Optimists always voice their feelings and needs and can therefore be helped faster as compared to pessimists. This is important because it leads to problem sharing and consequently sharing of its stress and quick finding of solution. Even with evidence that optimism has positive effects on the mental health of human beings, it should also be noted that it also has a correlation with time. That is, if stressors last for short periods of time or they are prolonged. If stressors are brief, for example lasting between for less than a week or a few weeks, optimism has been found to be protective against the adverse effects of such type of stressors. However, if the stressors are prolonged, optimists become more immunologically vulnerable as compared to pessimists. Validity of the studies I do agree with the validity of the results obtained by Scheier and Carver, and Segerstrom on positive effects of optimism on physical and mental health respectively One outstanding feature of optimists is positive thinking and this makes such individuals have to cope more easily with negative experiences of life that touch on their physical and mental life. An optimistic person facing a difficult situation will not sink into depression within a short time as would the less optimistic persons or pessimists. Optimists always focus on the opportunities that can be created out of the situation or find a possible and reasonable way to tackle the situation. However, I cannot reject the point of view that optimism is related to negative mental and physical health outcomes. Through their positive feelings, thoughts and expectations, optimists put themselves at a higher risk of disappointment if the good future or improvements they envision do not materialize. The greater efforts they invest in when pursuing positive outcomes could be more psychologically demanding. As seen from the above discussion, the effect of optimism to stressors correlates with time. This means that if stressors are to last for long period of time, there are higher chances that it would lead to adverse psychological conditions for optimistic people compared to pessimists who are already set psychologically for the worst. Although engagement is important for problem solving, prolonged engagement with stressors can also lead to worse psychological conditions and this applies especially to situations that are complex. Conclusion Optimism has a role to play in the promotion of physical and psychological health. Optimism has been found to help individuals to desist from mourning over their situation and instead, it makes them to rise over their adversities. It makes them to cope better with their stressful situations, engage in problem solving and adopt healthy lifestyles. Most importantly, optimism leads to better stress management and this has a wide range health benefits including the ability to dissociate the internal mood experience by a person from the person’s external circumstances. Everyone should therefore reflect on their own attitude towards themselves to determine if they are optimistic or pessimistic. One simple way of accomplishing this is to answer the question, is your glass half-full or half-empty? References Scheier, M. and Carver, C. (1992). “Effects of optimism on psychological and physical well-being: Theoretical overview and empirical update.” Cognitive Therapy and Research. (2) pp 201-228 Segerstrom, S. (2005). “Optimism and immunity: Do positive thoughts always lead to positive effects?” Brain Behav Immun. (3) pp 195–200. Read More