Optimism Research Paper
Optimism and Health
Optimism is something that we all use from time to time, it is hopefulness for a successful future and a good outcome. Optimism can let us down at times, especially when you have high expectations for something and it doesn’t quiet work out as you had hoped for. It is a positive mindset, which is good for an individual’s psychological health. Optimism is also believed to reduce health risks and lower stress levels.
Optimism also effects an individual’s physical health in many ways. For example optimists are believed to have less issues with heart disease, self-esteem, depression, and neuroticism. Research suggests that optimism is relevant to biological outcomes. One study even found that optimism predicts longer life. …show more content…
Among 900 elderly Dutch persons, those reporting a high level of optimism at baseline were less likely to die over the next 10 years (Giltay, Geleijnse, Zitman, Hoekstra, & Schouten, 2004). The evidence on biological outcomes is less consistent than it is for self-reports concerning health (Rasmussen et al., 2009), but relations between optimism and physical well-being clearly deserve further study (Carver, Scheier, & Segerstrom, 2010). This study also showed that optimists are less likely to be rehospitalized following coronary artery bypass surgery. These studies also show that optimistic people also report less pain, better physical functioning, and fewer physical symptoms. Personally I have always believed that people who possess higher hopes have fewer health issues.
Optimism also has many psychological effects.
The article I chose for my essay discusses the effects optimism has on gay men who are at risk of catching AIDS. I chose this article because I think it’s important to relate psychological issues with health matters. In a cohort of gay men responding to the threat of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), dispositional optimism was associated with less distress, less avoidant coping, positive attitudes as a coping strategy, and fewer AIDS-related concerns (Taylor, Kenemey, & Aspinwall, 1992). Substantial research suggests that people are overly optimistic about the likelihood that they will experience a wide variety of positive life events and successfully avoid a wide variety of adverse events (e.g., Markus & Nurius, 1986; Perloff, 1983; Weinstein, 1980, 1982, 1984). Most people perceive their chances of having a happy life, a stable marriage, talented children, and a satisfying job as higher than those of the average person and their chances of being fired, getting divorced, becoming depressed, or having a major disease as lower than those of the average person (Taylor, Kenemey, & Aspinwall, 1992). Optimists are positive thinkers, positive thinking reduces stress and produces an overall better …show more content…
well-being.
In my opinion I strongly agree with these studies.
I do believe that optimism has positive effects on an individual’s physical and psychological health. Having a positive attitude keeps your spirits lifted eve during bad times such as divorce, loss of a loved one, or health issues. I think that these studies have proved this to be true. I chose to focus more about the effects optimism has on health issues because I feel that it’s important to have high hopes while facing any kind of health issue. You can’t just give up and let the illness win. A customer of mine recently lost her battle with cancer but she fought it every step of the way for years and I truly believe that she lived much longer than many others would have. I really have to say that she didn’t let her illness keep her down, she had high hopes until the end. Most of the time when people face health issues it also effects them mentally causing them to have depression or a low self-esteem. I feel like optimistic people wouldn’t face these issues because they are positive thinkers and they won’t let health issues affect them psychologically. After reading these articles I believe we all need a little optimism in our lives it could help physically and
mentally.
References:
1) Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2010). Clinical Psychology Review [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. : . Retrieved from , University Library.
2) Taylor, S. E., Kemeny, M. E., & Aspinwall, L. G. (1992). Optimism, Coping Psychological Distress, and High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among Men at Rsik for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. Los Angeles , California: American Psychological Association. Retrieved from , University Library.
Optimism is something that we all use from time to time, it is hopefulness for a successful future and a good outcome. Optimism can let us down at times, especially when you have high expectations for something and it doesn’t quiet work out as you had hoped for. It is a positive mindset, which is good for an individual’s psychological health. Optimism is also believed to reduce health risks and lower stress levels.
Optimism also effects an individual’s physical health in many ways. For example optimists are believed to have less issues with heart disease, self-esteem, depression, and neuroticism. Research suggests that optimism is relevant to biological outcomes. One study even found that optimism predicts longer life. …show more content…
Among 900 elderly Dutch persons, those reporting a high level of optimism at baseline were less likely to die over the next 10 years (Giltay, Geleijnse, Zitman, Hoekstra, & Schouten, 2004). The evidence on biological outcomes is less consistent than it is for self-reports concerning health (Rasmussen et al., 2009), but relations between optimism and physical well-being clearly deserve further study (Carver, Scheier, & Segerstrom, 2010). This study also showed that optimists are less likely to be rehospitalized following coronary artery bypass surgery. These studies also show that optimistic people also report less pain, better physical functioning, and fewer physical symptoms. Personally I have always believed that people who possess higher hopes have fewer health issues.
Optimism also has many psychological effects.
The article I chose for my essay discusses the effects optimism has on gay men who are at risk of catching AIDS. I chose this article because I think it’s important to relate psychological issues with health matters. In a cohort of gay men responding to the threat of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), dispositional optimism was associated with less distress, less avoidant coping, positive attitudes as a coping strategy, and fewer AIDS-related concerns (Taylor, Kenemey, & Aspinwall, 1992). Substantial research suggests that people are overly optimistic about the likelihood that they will experience a wide variety of positive life events and successfully avoid a wide variety of adverse events (e.g., Markus & Nurius, 1986; Perloff, 1983; Weinstein, 1980, 1982, 1984). Most people perceive their chances of having a happy life, a stable marriage, talented children, and a satisfying job as higher than those of the average person and their chances of being fired, getting divorced, becoming depressed, or having a major disease as lower than those of the average person (Taylor, Kenemey, & Aspinwall, 1992). Optimists are positive thinkers, positive thinking reduces stress and produces an overall better …show more content…
well-being.
In my opinion I strongly agree with these studies.
I do believe that optimism has positive effects on an individual’s physical and psychological health. Having a positive attitude keeps your spirits lifted eve during bad times such as divorce, loss of a loved one, or health issues. I think that these studies have proved this to be true. I chose to focus more about the effects optimism has on health issues because I feel that it’s important to have high hopes while facing any kind of health issue. You can’t just give up and let the illness win. A customer of mine recently lost her battle with cancer but she fought it every step of the way for years and I truly believe that she lived much longer than many others would have. I really have to say that she didn’t let her illness keep her down, she had high hopes until the end. Most of the time when people face health issues it also effects them mentally causing them to have depression or a low self-esteem. I feel like optimistic people wouldn’t face these issues because they are positive thinkers and they won’t let health issues affect them psychologically. After reading these articles I believe we all need a little optimism in our lives it could help physically and
mentally.
References:
1) Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2010). Clinical Psychology Review [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. : . Retrieved from , University Library.
2) Taylor, S. E., Kemeny, M. E., & Aspinwall, L. G. (1992). Optimism, Coping Psychological Distress, and High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among Men at Rsik for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. Los Angeles , California: American Psychological Association. Retrieved from , University Library.