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Can Negative Thinking Make You Sick?
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I have always taken a "prepare as best you can and then realize that you can't control everything and let it go" mindset. I don't really think of that as pessimism but since it's not cheery optimism I get a lot of flak for it. Tbh I think I'm just a contrarian-- I react against the pressure to look on the sunny side, but if people around me are pessimistic then I immediately take on a more optimistic outlook. In my day-to-day life I'd categorize myself as a cynical optimist. My sense of humor is sardonic and sarcastic, but at the end of the day I have confidence in my ability to handle whatever comes along.
Also this thread made me think of that saying-- show me a cynic and I'll show you a disappointed idealist. Something like that. I think most people are probably a mix of both, depending on circumstances.2 -
I like this a lot. I operate much the same, and it drives my wife crazy lol.ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »I have always taken a "prepare as best you can and then realize that you can't control everything and let it go" mindset. I don't really think of that as pessimism but since it's not cheery optimism I get a lot of flak for it. Tbh I think I'm just a contrarian-- I react against the pressure to look on the sunny side, but if people around me are pessimistic then I immediately take on a more optimistic outlook. In my day-to-day life I'd categorize myself as a cynical optimist. My sense of humor is sardonic and sarcastic, but at the end of the day I have confidence in my ability to handle whatever comes along.
Also this thread made me think of that saying-- show me a cynic and I'll show you a disappointed idealist. Something like that. I think most people are probably a mix of both, depending on circumstances.
I picked up an old saying years ago that still works for me today.
"90% of what I worry about never happens. The 10% left over happens too fast for me to get ready for it."
Don't sweat the small stuff, prepare for the big stuff best you can.
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chocolate_owl wrote: »I think this paragraph from the article is a more likely explanation for chronic health issues correlated with negative moods:It could also be that people who feel bad—be it depressed, stressed, cynical, or otherwise—may also be more likely to smoke or drink alcohol, or less likely to be physically active, all things that can affect your health, of course. Or it’s possible that negative emotions might be an early symptom of a health problem, rather than a cause.
If you believe the world's a terrible place or everyone is out to get you, do you have as much motivation to take care of yourself?
I do think battling mental illness like depression or anxiety for a long time can lead to other physical issues, but I don't like lumping that into the same category of negative emotions the way this article does. Is there anything to suggest being cynical or bitter can be categorized as a mental illness, or is it the result of experiences and upbringing?
I have been dealing with depression for many years, and anxiety disorder and PTSD for 8.5 years now - since the loss of my 5.5-year-old son. I do take medication; otherwise, I would not be able to function "normally." Stress from outside sources (I just escaped a grossly stressful job that was causing a major increase in the number of migraines I was dealing with and alternating loss of appetite and binge eating) can certainly cause cynicism and bitterness; they are not in and of themselves mental illnesses. But they definitely can impact your health.
By the time I left my previous job just over a month ago, I really didn't care about much of anything. I had to force myself to take a shower; I did little to nothing with my hair and wore minimal makeup; I did just enough laundry to get by (leaving piles yet to be done); I'd eat junk food from vending machines all day long, then not eat supper at night; instead of doing things around the house, I'd just sit around and read (thanks, Amazon Prime); I'd be wake until 1:00 AM or later, then have to drag myself out of bed to get ready to another day of hell at work.
Before things totally went to hell, I was already overweight and for my height considered obese - about 3 years ago, however, I got my first Fitbit and found MFP and lost 30 pounds. As the stress crept in, my motivation crept out. I have managed to stay within +/- 5 lbs of the weight I'd gotten down to somehow (still in obese category). My new job has alleviated the stress and I'm starting to care about myself again. Unfortunately, I just found out my cholesterol numbers are high so I'm back here to make changes. I know that my eating habits and lack of exercise from the "don't give a f***" period wreaked havoc with my health. Now it's up to me to fix it. And I have the support of an awesome group of friends, which helps me push away from the cynicism and bitterness.1 -
As Gamliela said, things simply are. It's our own perceptions that label things as good or bad.
For example, the house at the end of the block catches fire and burns to the ground. A casual passer by might say, thats awful somebody's house burned down". The neighbors might say, "Thank God that vacant rat infested drug house burned down". Which impression is correct?
If you get laid off your job, that's labeled as bad. If you end up getting a better paying job that you enjoy that's a good thing. Was getting laid off (a perceived bad thing) actually the best thing that could have happened in retrospect?
A house burned down. A job was lost. These things happened. They are neither good nor bad.
In my view the notion of negative visualization falls apart when dealing with larger issues. The loss of a loved one cannot be easily dismissed with "things simply are".
Apologies to Gamliela for stepping in. Hopefully you won't perceive it as a bad thing.
I don't believe anyone can be neutral in every situation. It's our perceptions of the people, things, and events around us that make us who we are to an extent.
And no, you cannot deal with the loss of a loved one as something that simply is. If you can, I would venture to say that there is something wrong with you. My young son's death 8.5 years ago ripped me apart and I know that I will never be able to pick up all of the pieces, much less say "that's just the way it is."1 -
ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »I have always taken a "prepare as best you can and then realize that you can't control everything and let it go" mindset.
I love this, and it's what I aspire to, although I am not always successful.
My parents have radically different perspectives, both messed up (IMO). My mother (probably most influential on me growing up) simply assumes that the worst will always happen. Her justification is that then you are never disappointed and might be pleasantly surprised, but IME it precludes risk taking and aiming high and tends to result in just being always negative, without really helping with stress (I think she has an underlying anger about life not working out, expectations or no). My dad just assumes that everything will be fine, or did until he got older and started buying into "the country is going to hell in a handbasket" stuff, sigh). He takes risks he should not, although he's managed to land on his feel more than he probably deserves.
Anyway, it was a confusing and stressful combination as a kid. I am not sure how much either (or anyone) controls outlook, though -- there's depression and bipolar on both sides, so I kind of wonder how much outlook is just inborn.1 -
choklityum wrote: »I have been dealing with depression for many years, and anxiety disorder and PTSD for 8.5 years now - since the loss of my 5.5-year-old son.
I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how painful that must be.
Have you read The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk? I do not know a single person with PTSD, myself included, who doesn't swear by that book. It is a game changer.
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choklityum wrote: »
As Gamliela said, things simply are. It's our own perceptions that label things as good or bad.
For example, the house at the end of the block catches fire and burns to the ground. A casual passer by might say, thats awful somebody's house burned down". The neighbors might say, "Thank God that vacant rat infested drug house burned down". Which impression is correct?
If you get laid off your job, that's labeled as bad. If you end up getting a better paying job that you enjoy that's a good thing. Was getting laid off (a perceived bad thing) actually the best thing that could have happened in retrospect?
A house burned down. A job was lost. These things happened. They are neither good nor bad.
In my view the notion of negative visualization falls apart when dealing with larger issues. The loss of a loved one cannot be easily dismissed with "things simply are".
Apologies to Gamliela for stepping in. Hopefully you won't perceive it as a bad thing.
I don't believe anyone can be neutral in every situation. It's our perceptions of the people, things, and events around us that make us who we are to an extent.
And no, you cannot deal with the loss of a loved one as something that simply is. If you can, I would venture to say that there is something wrong with you. My young son's death 8.5 years ago ripped me apart and I know that I will never be able to pick up all of the pieces, much less say "that's just the way it is."
I don't think - at least for me - that the implication is that one can be neutral in every situation. One can recognize that facts "simply are" without feeling neutral about them.
I'm definitely one of those "people are disturbed not by things but by the views they take of them" kinds of people, philosophically. Admittedly, I've not been through a tragedy like yours, but I've been through some Stuff (my husband's cancer death at age 45, my own later stage III cancer diagnosis at age 44 are just a couple of examples).
The point to me is twofold:- This view helps me realize in my gut that while others may sympathize or empathize, they are not having the same reaction. Their lives go on just as before - improbable though my personal emotions may make that feel.
- Because the core of my reaction is my reaction, not the event itself, it does imply that I have some level of influence over how things roll on from that point, intellectually or behaviorally if not always emotionally. Inherently, I have more influence over my reaction than anyone else does, even if I don't have total control. The facts can't change (in a case like these), only my reaction can.
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I like this a lot. I operate much the same, and it drives my wife crazy lol.ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »I have always taken a "prepare as best you can and then realize that you can't control everything and let it go" mindset. I don't really think of that as pessimism but since it's not cheery optimism I get a lot of flak for it. Tbh I think I'm just a contrarian-- I react against the pressure to look on the sunny side, but if people around me are pessimistic then I immediately take on a more optimistic outlook. In my day-to-day life I'd categorize myself as a cynical optimist. My sense of humor is sardonic and sarcastic, but at the end of the day I have confidence in my ability to handle whatever comes along.
Also this thread made me think of that saying-- show me a cynic and I'll show you a disappointed idealist. Something like that. I think most people are probably a mix of both, depending on circumstances.
I picked up an old saying years ago that still works for me today.
"90% of what I worry about never happens. The 10% left over happens too fast for me to get ready for it."
Don't sweat the small stuff, prepare for the big stuff best you can.
Why does it drive your wife crazy? Is she a sunny optimist?0 -
ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
I like this a lot. I operate much the same, and it drives my wife crazy lol.ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »I have always taken a "prepare as best you can and then realize that you can't control everything and let it go" mindset. I don't really think of that as pessimism but since it's not cheery optimism I get a lot of flak for it. Tbh I think I'm just a contrarian-- I react against the pressure to look on the sunny side, but if people around me are pessimistic then I immediately take on a more optimistic outlook. In my day-to-day life I'd categorize myself as a cynical optimist. My sense of humor is sardonic and sarcastic, but at the end of the day I have confidence in my ability to handle whatever comes along.
Also this thread made me think of that saying-- show me a cynic and I'll show you a disappointed idealist. Something like that. I think most people are probably a mix of both, depending on circumstances.
I picked up an old saying years ago that still works for me today.
"90% of what I worry about never happens. The 10% left over happens too fast for me to get ready for it."
Don't sweat the small stuff, prepare for the big stuff best you can.
Why does it drive your wife crazy? Is she a sunny optimist?
It's all play - nothing gets this woman down lol. It's kind of a twisted little joke between us, who stays sunnier the longest. Sounds weird, but we have lots of fun with it.
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ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
I like this a lot. I operate much the same, and it drives my wife crazy lol.ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »I have always taken a "prepare as best you can and then realize that you can't control everything and let it go" mindset. I don't really think of that as pessimism but since it's not cheery optimism I get a lot of flak for it. Tbh I think I'm just a contrarian-- I react against the pressure to look on the sunny side, but if people around me are pessimistic then I immediately take on a more optimistic outlook. In my day-to-day life I'd categorize myself as a cynical optimist. My sense of humor is sardonic and sarcastic, but at the end of the day I have confidence in my ability to handle whatever comes along.
Also this thread made me think of that saying-- show me a cynic and I'll show you a disappointed idealist. Something like that. I think most people are probably a mix of both, depending on circumstances.
I picked up an old saying years ago that still works for me today.
"90% of what I worry about never happens. The 10% left over happens too fast for me to get ready for it."
Don't sweat the small stuff, prepare for the big stuff best you can.
Why does it drive your wife crazy? Is she a sunny optimist?
It's all play - nothing gets this woman down lol. It's kind of a twisted little joke between us, who stays sunnier the longest. Sounds weird, but we have lots of fun with it.
Sounds healthy to me.
edited to add, that wasn't sarcasm. 100% genuine.0 -
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ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
Frankly, I've always found these facts quite comforting. No matter how much I screw things up, the universe is gonna be OK . . . so I can relax.
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ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
Frankly, I've always found these facts quite comforting. No matter how much I screw things up, the universe is gonna be OK . . . so I can relax.
Same here. That's how I got that reputation as a pessimist.4 -
As for negative thinking making one ill, hell if one keeps claiming they're always sick, IMO they will be sick. If they are always filled with dread, then they will never be happy. And as mentioned, it's stress so it compromises the immunity system if done enough.
I keep forgetting I have Lupus and bad scoliosis and can't do things I always did until my body reminds me. Doesn't have anything to do with negative thinking. So negative thinking, I content, is not the origin of all or most disease states.
However, living with my mom, who has Cushing Disease, I see the effects of high stress Hormones daily... And boy do they ever take a toll on a body. She can do very little because her produces tons of cortisol like a runaway train of stress, but I'd say that the physiological damage of chronic stress is very, very real. It destroys entire organ systems, interferes with the immune system, and makes you miserable.
I would recommend not letting stress control a person's life, it's got some nasty long term problems.2 -
Title from the article:
http://news.health.com/2015/06/26/can-negative-thinking-make-you-sick/
I've always thought that this is one of those things that everyone knows, or was aware of in some aspect or another. I'm generally a very upbeat and optimistic person, but I'm around people all day who are not. I'm also aware there are many here who deal with negative emotions in one form or another. I thought maybe revisiting the subject may call some more awareness to it?
We live in a time where bad vibes and hostility abound - I'd like to submit that it does not always have to be that way for most individuals. With some, it may simply take a reminder or kind word. Others may need medication and/or long term help, depending on the issues at hand.
Personally, I find that if I choose to not let myself sweat the small stuff, I do tend to feel less exhausted at the end of the day. One small quote from the article:All this said, there is a big bright spot for every Negative Nancy out there: by simply changing your perspective, you may just improve your health. “We know that neural pathways are changing every minute of your entire life and that your brain is generating new cells throughout your life. And this neurogenesis is not only associated with the formation of new memories, but with mood stability, as well,” Simon-Thomas says.
So cynics take heart—you have control over your attitude (and your well-being). As Simon-Thomas put it: “We can be deliberate about shifting our habits of feeling and thinking in the world.”
I dunno - worth discussing good people of Myfitnesspal?
In short it does... the brain IS connected to the stomach by a very small system in the body, one controls the other. But you want the whole breath of research herw it is
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/term=negative+thoughs+and+obesity
But yes, negative thinking rebuilds the brain in a temporary way... often creating pathways that breakdown. Couple that with no sleep & now you can't tell if you're hungry.
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I strongly believe negativity will make you very ill. Negativity is only one factor in something larger going on inside a person. Typically high stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition which all makes you feel exhausted and unhappy. When you are unhappy, human nature falls to the negative side because its easier, less work then training your brain to look at the good.
I believe this is one of the major factors why I am now dealing with a very serious medical condition. I'm discoverying the importance of mindfulness, nutrition, meditation and the most difficult for me...making me the priority.
Negativity is not good for anyone and life is short, we need to try to be as happy as we can be...for us, our loved ones and even those strangers we have brief encounters with. See how many people you can simply share a smile with, it will make one another's day
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The stress response is supposed to work short-term to get us out of danger. Long-term unhappiness, stress, negative thinking results in a long-term stress response, which is definitely not good. Just happened upon a TED talk that talks about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drv3BP0Fdi8 2
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