Positive psychology is an emerging field.
It was officially launched in 1998.Often people experience mental health
problems hence understanding what creates positive emotions can give them boost.
Whether it is a depression or an ongoing crisis, in that sense positive
psychology is an attempt to understand our basic nature and the activities that
lead to happiness.
One of the largest finding
from the field of positive psychology suggests that those with more optimistic
perspective live longer and can recover from illness faster. If the person is
more likely to be optimistic then he/she is more likely to engage in good
healthy habits like exercising regularly, having better diet etc. One reason
for that is, those who are positive thinkers are more likely to believe in
their own-self and are more likely to attempt health related changes, as oppose
to those who thinks in negative ways because they believe in other external
factors such as fate, god and so on.
Those with positive
approach are likely to have more social support. Social support can generate
resources and knowledge that can fight with illness and its own positive
effects on health.
Those who are optimistic
are more likely to pay attention to health risks and therefore they are less
likely to smoke or engage in activities like unsafe sex. Stress and negative
emotions are bad for the immune system and reduce our body's ability to fight
diseases. Scientific studies have shown that there is a link between stress and
the immune system. When the person is experiencing stress and negativity his or
her body is less able to mount an inflammatory response to attacks from
bacteria and viruses. This results in increase in infections such as common
cold and cold sores. Having a positive outlook on life also equips people
better for dealing with serious illness. Tackling serious diseases such as
cancer with optimistic approach and self belief has shown to have a beneficial
effect on recovery and ability to tolerate treatment.
So,
to conclude we can say that understanding of the relationship between body and
mind has increased in past few years. But it is also important to remember that simply having a positive
mindset won’t actually stop bad things from happening. But it does give you the
tools to better deal with bad situations. Sometimes your coping skills come
down to nothing more than refusing to give in to your negative side and your
fears. For some people, positive thinking comes quite naturally. For others,
seeking professional help is necessary to get them on the right track.
