Comments on: What’s Wrong with Positive Thinking? http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/12/12/whats-wrong-with-positive-thinking/ Dr. John Grohol's daily update on all things in psychology and mental health. Since 1999. Sat, 26 May 2012 02:27:01 +0000 hourly 1 By: Maria http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/12/12/whats-wrong-with-positive-thinking/comment-page-1/#comment-725657 Maria Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:53:14 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=7055#comment-725657 Good article. I've been rethinking this whole idea of "positive" thinking. Sometimes I wonder if people sometimes want others to 'stay positive' because they simply don't want to hear about other people's problems? Kind of fair-weather friend-ish if you ask me. Anyway, I used to stick up for all the so-called positive thinking but after reading all those various positive thinking books and theories like The Secret, I've noticed that there's a fair amount of narcissism and denial tied in with many of the motivational stuff. It seems to have no provisions for people with genuine and serious problems that can't just be "smiled" or "affirmed" away. There are times when one NEEDS to cry, to vent, to complain...and not necessarily have someone rush to solve the problem or even the person have to solve it themselves right then and there. The person going through hard times needs to know the person a true friend who CARES and who will listen to them and love them no matter what negativity thing they may be going through at the moment. As it says in Ephesians 3 (as made famous by the Byrds in the 60s) To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heavens.... Good article. I’ve been rethinking this whole idea of “positive” thinking. Sometimes I wonder if people sometimes want others to ‘stay positive’ because they simply don’t want to hear about other people’s problems? Kind of fair-weather friend-ish if you ask me. Anyway, I used to stick up for all the so-called positive thinking but after reading all those various positive thinking books and theories like The Secret, I’ve noticed that there’s a fair amount of narcissism and denial tied in with many of the motivational stuff. It seems to have no provisions for people with genuine and serious problems that can’t just be “smiled” or “affirmed” away. There are times when one NEEDS to cry, to vent, to complain…and not necessarily have someone rush to solve the problem or even the person have to solve it themselves right then and there. The person going through hard times needs to know the person a true friend who CARES and who will listen to them and love them no matter what negativity thing they may be going through at the moment. As it says in Ephesians 3 (as made famous by the Byrds in the 60s) To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heavens….

]]> By: 7towers http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/12/12/whats-wrong-with-positive-thinking/comment-page-1/#comment-714411 7towers Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:13:56 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=7055#comment-714411 We us the intellect far too much in this country and its way out of its league when trying to harness the emotional states and this is especially so when emotionally immature adults which most of us are. While I believe that being cautious is hard wired I feel it only pertains to protectection of the physical body period. If we continue to beilieve that the above is also responsible for what appears to be a predispostion for negative , defensive, and dark emotional states we would not only be wrong but also allow for humanity to remain in its down spiraling tragic state. Its no secret that we are molded and conditioned by family as well as society through the systems that operate within them. The repeated emotional experiences that are lived within these systems are the shapers of the latter states. Unless we address these and how they are impacting the mental health we will continue to stifle the great potential to fully express what it is to be a human being. This is no fairytale ideal , but a reality that is most pragmatically sound but can't be even imagined until a greater awareness of our emotions and how integral they are in navigating life having far more influence than that of the intellect. We us the intellect far too much in this country and its way out of its league when trying to harness the emotional states and this is especially so when emotionally immature adults which most of us are.
While I believe that being cautious is hard wired I feel it only pertains to protectection of the physical body period.

If we continue to beilieve that the above is also responsible for what appears to be a predispostion for negative , defensive, and dark emotional states we would not only be wrong but also allow for humanity to remain in its down spiraling tragic state.
Its no secret that we are molded and conditioned by family as well as society through the systems that operate within them.
The repeated emotional experiences that are lived within these systems are the shapers of the latter states. Unless we address these and how they are impacting the mental health we will continue to stifle the great potential to fully express what it is to be a human being.
This is no fairytale ideal , but a reality that is most pragmatically sound but can’t be even imagined until a greater awareness of our emotions and how integral they are in navigating life having far more influence than that of the intellect.

]]> By: robin greaves http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/12/12/whats-wrong-with-positive-thinking/comment-page-1/#comment-639941 robin greaves Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:03:38 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=7055#comment-639941 Truthfulness is the key to all healthy development, be it of an individual, a project, an organisation, or a community. But truthfulness requires courage, and to have that we need the experience of being valued and supported. We label our experience not in an absolute way but in a way that relates to our (psycho)social context. Our *alienation*, for instance the extent to which we absorb video-realism as reality, contributes to a lack of realism. When our psychosocial context is robust our assessments of our *fit* and the fit of our experience with it become more *truthful* or aligned to a viable contextual frame. When we are unsupported psychosocially our ability to create and sustain a balanced and healthy self-assessment is dramatically undermined. A vicious spiral is created as our inaccurate and inappropriate self-assessments weaken our links to our psychosocial context which in turn weakens and makes that context less capable of supporting us. Truthfulness is the key to all healthy development, be it of an individual, a project, an organisation, or a community. But truthfulness requires courage, and to have that we need the experience of being valued and supported. We label our experience not in an absolute way but in a way that relates to our (psycho)social context. Our *alienation*, for instance the extent to which we absorb video-realism as reality, contributes to a lack of realism. When our psychosocial context is robust our assessments of our *fit* and the fit of our experience with it become more *truthful* or aligned to a viable contextual frame. When we are unsupported psychosocially our ability to create and sustain a balanced and healthy self-assessment is dramatically undermined. A vicious spiral is created as our inaccurate and inappropriate self-assessments weaken our links to our psychosocial context which in turn weakens and makes that context less capable of supporting us.

]]> By: Kenneth http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/12/12/whats-wrong-with-positive-thinking/comment-page-1/#comment-638820 Kenneth Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:58:32 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=7055#comment-638820 It very simple that we know intellectually that we are lying to ourselves when we try to over sell unrealistic positivity, and so ultimately we feel worse because we know we are lying. Another good strategy is to create little victories and celebrate those in context. This creates very real feeling that can be used to combat the either real or imagined bad feelings. It very simple that we know intellectually that we are lying to ourselves when we try to over sell unrealistic positivity, and so ultimately we feel worse because we know we are lying.
Another good strategy is to create little victories and celebrate those in context. This creates very real feeling that can be used to combat the either real or imagined bad feelings.

]]> By: Charles Brown http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/12/12/whats-wrong-with-positive-thinking/comment-page-1/#comment-638781 Charles Brown Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:21:00 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=7055#comment-638781 This is a wonderful article. In its minimal engagement into the human psyche, it covers a multitude of functioning capacities. One would think that when the word (think) arises it is specifically related to the thought process, and it is. However, this article exposes the importance of nurturing the thought (thinking) process to strenghten the optimistic perspective across a continuum that levels the functioning capacities[mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional]to have healthy and vibrant psychologocal effects. "If the glass is half full, how is it seen, for better or for worse". I believe that everyone can use a positive advancement in all areas of their lives. This article is an open door to utilize thinking in a more effective and complete way. This is a wonderful article. In its minimal engagement into the human psyche, it covers a multitude of functioning capacities. One would think that when the word (think) arises it is specifically related to the thought process, and it is. However, this article exposes the importance of nurturing the thought (thinking) process to strenghten the optimistic perspective across a continuum that levels the functioning capacities[mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional]to have healthy and vibrant psychologocal effects. “If the glass is half full, how is it seen, for better or for worse”. I believe that everyone can use a positive advancement in all areas of their lives. This article is an open door to utilize thinking in a more effective and complete way.

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