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Can Negative Thinking Make You Sick?
Replies
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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.
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Negative thinking brings stress to your body so, YES it really is negative to your health
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I dont know if this relevant to this discussion... But my uncle recently went into surgery to have his little toe removed (diabetes), he was fine with that. They ended up removing his whole leg, so he woke up from surgery expecting to be missing a toe, but instead his whole leg was gone.
He said he didn't want to live like that.. Long story short, a couple weeks later he had a stroke, a week after that he died. So he got his wish and never made it out of the hospital. Did he negative think his way into death? i'd say yes, as he totally gave up the fight.4 -
Christine_72 wrote: »I dont know if this relevant to this discussion... But my uncle recently went into surgery to have his little toe removed (diabetes), he was fine with that. They ended up removing his whole leg, so he woke up from surgery expecting to be missing a toe, but instead his whole leg was gone.
He said he didn't want to live like that.. Long story short, a couple weeks later he had a stroke, a week after that he died. So he got his wish and never made it out of the hospital. Did he negative think his way into death? i'd say yes, as he totally gave up the fight.
I'm sorry. And yes its relevant. Very relevant.1 -
I've nursed hundreds of miserable, negative people who get better and heal.
I've also watched plenty of upbeat optimistic types die, so I dunno about negative thinking causing your uncles demise. More likely that if his foot was in such poor shape they had to take the whole leg his general health was probably not so great.
Being sick is in itself depressing for some people. Doesn't mean negative thinking in some way causes the pathology.10 -
I would think it is fairly obvious that it can. You can stress yourself into developing a rash or hives, for example. Stress is a known contributor to worsening symptoms for a number of diseases.
How much it can contribute to things like the onset of heart disease, cancer, etc is not clear and would be difficult to study. Negative thinking often leads to not taking care of yourself, not going to the doctor when you should, etc, which would be a confounding factor that would be difficult to work around.
It does make you wonder, though.0 -
Not sure what I think of this. I've always been a pretty pessimistic person... Scratch that - I'm a realist. An optimist says the glass is half full, the pessimist says it is half empty. The realist says, "ummm, I think this might be pi$$".
I've never had any major health problems. I rarely get sick, and when I do I recover quickly and easily.
That said, despite my sunny disposition
I do take care of myself (I'm a healthy weight, I quit smoking, I don't drink excessively, I'm up to date on my vaccines, I go to the doc for regular check ups, etc).
The idea that negative thinking might be responsible for health issues smacks of.... Victim blaming? We all want to believe there are things we can do to prevent the terrible, awful things from happening to us. Unfortunately a lot of it is simply nothing more than the luck of the draw...5 -
If you have cancer (I did), people will tell you that you need to stay positive and hopeful, because a positive attitude is important to "fighting" and being cured. I think they mean well, in a vague sort of way.
But the more I heard this, and thought about the way many people said it, I now believe it's a way that some people distance themselves from the diagnosis: Deep down in their subconscious, what they are (magically) thinking is "I have a positive attitude, so I won't get cancer".
In the case of breast cancer, I believe that actual research cast great doubt on the value of positive/negative attitude for predicting outcomes.
So, I'm a skeptic that positive attitude fosters health across the board, or that negative attitude causes disease. Even if negative thinking does increase stress, my guess would be that there's at most a tiny effect on whether one gets sick or not, simply because there are so many other contributing factors when it comes to who gets ill and who doesn't.
But you know what? I'd be willing to guess that sick people are more likely to have negative attitudes. I s**ks to be sick, especially chronically sick. I'm a pretty happy person, but during chemotherapy I had to fight like a demon to avoid dropping into depression.
So I'm thinking that if you did certain kinds of studies, you'd find a high correlation between negativity and illness - but which way is the causation arrow pointing?8 -
I believe Barbara Ehrenreich had a similar reaction to the "positive thinking and cancer" thing, which she writes about (among other things) in her book on positive thinking (Bright-Sided): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/books/10ehrenreich.html?pagewanted=all&_r=03
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Can Negative Thinking Make You Sick?
Yes. VERY much yes.
A body certainly has natural responses to emotions like anger/negativity/sadness/etc, which release different chemicals in the body. If you constantly believe you are sad or angry, or negative, there can be a constant stream of this going on putting undo stress on your system. People don't always see immediate issues, but over time the system wears down and breaks down. I think that is part of the problem with depression and anxiety become extremely prevalent these days. Lots of studies and sympathetic relationship of it all.
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This is probably a coincidence... But my dads uncle died at the age of 45 (lung cancer), and at the funeral he told my mum that he probably wouldn't live much longer than that, 20 years later at the age of 47 my dad passed away (skin cancer). It's been 30 years since his death and my mum still thinks his negative thinking brought on his death..2
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I think negative attracts negative and positive attracts positive..
Glass half full or glass half empty...i learned this from a mentor I had a while go..it was pointed out that i was severely living "glass half empty".. took many years to correct that.
^^^ This all day long. I can't be doing the negative vibe. I truly believe you have two choices each day when you get up. And that's be happy or be sad... I go for happy every single time.3 -
People suffering major health issues, especially those recently diagnosed, tend to second guess every detail of their lives; did they eat/drink the "wrong" things, was it that medication they took years ago, that cigarette they tried when they were 15, did they spend too much time in the sun, not enough? Etc, etc, etc.
This whole "be a positive Pete and you'll be immortal" nonsense is just one more thing for people to blame themselves about. It's bs. Someone recently diagnosed with acute or chronic disease should not be left wondering if it is their own fault because they didn't think happy thoughts (seriously, wtf?). The only people that find comfort in that sort of thing are people deluded enough to believe that putting on a smile will somehow prevent illness. It may be comforting to think that by being an eternal optimist you're less likely to get sick, but I believe it's a false sense of comfort, and a dangerous one at that. Places too much blame on the victim for something that they had little, if any, control over to begin with.
Only the good die young. *kitten* live forever.6 -
http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2015/02/happiness-conspiracy-against-optimism-and-cult-positive-thinking
A fine counterpoint to the cult of positive thinking.2 -
Negative thinking, stress, poor self esteem is very damaging to ones health. We need to sort out what is negative and what is positive in our lives. Unless we do, the negatives will eventually be our undoing. Unless we can see clearly what is negative how can we fight or strive for our lives to be positive??
Not the case concerning waterfalls. Negative ions produced by flowing water produces positive feelings in humans and animals. FYI.1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »I dont know if this relevant to this discussion... But my uncle recently went into surgery to have his little toe removed (diabetes), he was fine with that. They ended up removing his whole leg, so he woke up from surgery expecting to be missing a toe, but instead his whole leg was gone.
He said he didn't want to live like that.. Long story short, a couple weeks later he had a stroke, a week after that he died. So he got his wish and never made it out of the hospital. Did he negative think his way into death? i'd say yes, as he totally gave up the fight.
I had cousin that willed himself dead in a few days after being told he had lung cancer. I talked to the doctor before visiting him in the hospital. The doctor said while he had lung cancer that he was not near death by any means. When I visited my cousin later that day and he said, Gale I am a goner. My sister called a couple days to tell me our cousin was death.
In the case of the post about your father's death at the age of 47 as he predicted 20 years earlier drives home how our life can be greatly impacted by our state of mind (epigenetics?) more than most any other factor. This is one reason I have a stated goal to live to be 110 and walking and talking the entire way. I have had to completely rethink my eating and living lifestyles to make that goal even remotely realistic. Now at 65 my health markers are better than when I was 45.
Where I die today or 45 years from now my quality of life has already improved as well as those that have to be around me at home or work. 1 -
Yeah that comment my dad made is always in the back of my mind. My husband always says this or that is gonna get him, or he probably wont live past a certain age. It drives me nuts, and he gets a head slap every time he says it!
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I believe if anyone thinks negatively about trying to achieve anything, they'll likely fail. What I find with most people who are negative is usually they never meet their expectations or don't want others to. No place for them in my life. I'm a realist, so I know my limitations, but I as an optimist I also know there's a lot I can do if I personally put my mind to it. Especially if it's something I really want.
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.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Lol, so a birthday party just is. No need to be happy or upbeat about it. And a loss of a love one shouldn't have a negative vibe at all. Okay.Things just are. No need to put a positive or negative stamp on them with the mind.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Christine_72 wrote: »Yeah that comment my dad made is always in the back of my mind. My husband always says this or that is gonna get him, or he probably wont live past a certain age. It drives me nuts, and he gets a head slap every time he says it!
Here is a link were 6 people predicted the time of their death.
cracked.com/article_20350_6-famous-people-who-eerily-predicted-their-own-deaths.html
On a side note I had one living grandparent when I was born. About age four I can remember him crying every Christmas and stating this may be the last Christmas that he lives to see. He lived another 28 years and died at the age of 86. He and my step grandmother did not get along so he may have help living to give her hell.
I do think we have to have a conscious or at least an unconscious reason to keep alive.0 -
The mind is a powerful thing. Negative thinking, cluttered, depressing and unkempt environments, toxic people, situations and relationships...all can wear you down and make you sick.
Several years ago I was trapped in a cycle of negativity in a toxic, super stressful job. It was slowly killing me, and when I started rapidly deteriorating both emotionally and physically because of it, I abandoned ship and left all that crap behind and began actively seeking goodness instead.
I'm much healthier and happier now. MY key to happiness is choosing to maximize positive attitudes, experiences and relationships and minimize negative ones, and then practicing gratitude for all my blessings. You can't be happy unless you have the ability to appreciate the good in your life. Cultivating a positive attitude is a skill that takes daily practice, builds with time, and eventually becomes a habit! It's life-changing and the best gift you can give yourself!
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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.
You misquoted. I didn't say "things simply are".
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I should have written, "Things just are". Apologies for paraphrasing.
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I believe in this for sure. I think the psychological is inextricably tied to the physiological.1
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When I took the ACSM test for my personal training certification, I told myself I was going to fail the test as I was walking in to take it. Nice pep talk. Turns out, I scored a 704 out of 800. Passed beyond my expectations an a truly very difficult exam.
So, I don't know how bad negative thinking is, but I do try to limit it. I don't know if it can cause diseases but mom thinks it can. She is now a Joel Osteen's follower and swears positive thinking has changed her life.
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Stress can make you sick. Whether you're "positive" about the stress or not.
Pessimism does not equal stress. And optimism does not equal a lack of stress. These things are not mutually exclusive. And let's not confuse pessimism with depression (depression is an actual mental illness; not all pessimists are depressed, tho depression does seem to cause a pessimistic attitude).
Yes, taking care of yourself (eating nutritious foods, staying a healthy weight, staying active, not smoking, not drinking excessively, keeping UTD on doc appts, vax, preventative screenings, wearing a seat belt, etc), can help prevent illness and/or injury, which can help you live longer. Simply "thinking positive"? I'm not convinced.5 -
tlflag1620 wrote: »Stress can make you sick. Whether you're "positive" about the stress or not.
Pessimism does not equal stress. And optimism does not equal a lack of stress. These things are not mutually exclusive. And let's not confuse pessimism with depression (depression is an actual mental illness; not all pessimists are depressed, tho depression does seem to cause a pessimistic attitude).
Yes, taking care of yourself (eating nutritious foods, staying a healthy weight, staying active, not smoking, not drinking excessively, keeping UTD on doc appts, vax, preventative screenings, wearing a seat belt, etc), can help prevent illness and/or injury, which can help you live longer. Simply "thinking positive"? I'm not convinced.
Useful distinctions! (And I'm unconvinced, right there with you. Well, actually, maybe more like "actively hostile" than "unconvinced", in my case. ). 1 -
I have generalized anxiety disorder (among other diagnoses), and I have literally worried myself sick (to the point of vomiting) because of a math final in college. I think that stress and worries add to the effects of already-existing conditions, such as hypertension or anxiety disorders.1
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EternalSonataFan wrote: »I have generalized anxiety disorder (among other diagnoses), and I have literally worried myself sick (to the point of vomiting) because of a math final in college. I think that stress and worries add to the effects of already-existing conditions, such as hypertension or anxiety disorders.
I watched a woman go from stable to circling the drain for no other reason than stressing herself nearly to death. She was in a vehicle accident, but fine - we were only transiting for full evaluation as toxic materials were present. The attending physician looked like the woman's mother (who we later discovered was abusive) and our patient nearly died. BP & pulse spike, atrial fibrillation began on sight simply because of the intense emotional reaction.0 -
I don't believe our thoughts or intentions have a magical effect (on ourselves or the world around us), no.
I do think mental stress can cause some physical reactions, though it's more likely to be physical stress that does so. I also think a severely negative outlook influences self-care behaviors, productivity and perception at work, etc., and thus can indirectly lead to negative consequences. Neither of these means attitude alone causes poor health or bad luck, and I'm frequently irritated by people who believe just "thinking positive" is a solution to real problems.2
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