Is it Good to Recommend to Someone Who is Depressed to See Things Positively?

Have you ever wondered why when your spirits are down, others seem to see positive aspects of your life that you can’t see?

The truth is that today, thanks to various studies in psychoeducation, support networks and development of empathy, we know that when someone goes through a difficult time, mention the positive aspects of life or encouraging him to put more impetus (or desire) into his daily life can not only be counterproductive, but also aggravate the course of some conditions such as depression (the person could begin to consider that – “I am not even good at seeing the good things”) .

So, although it is intuitive, trying to help people with these types of phrases may not be very useful in practice. But do phrases like “you have good things” have any truth? It would be complex to say, although it is not entirely deniable either.

An optimistic perspective on depression?

It turns out that some mental health conditions are caused by the way our brain processes things. That is, the perspective we give to events can determine the degree of emotional discomfort.

In fact, several studies have found that our mind jumps to conclusions with insufficient information especially when we are depressed or anxious.

It is not a decision on the part of the individual (since the grouping of events and their consequences facilitate this perspective), and since it is not a decision, the modification of any perspective generates a phenomenon called cognitive dissonance in which people experience confusion due to these ways to see situations differently.

The interpretation of reality

For many theorists such as Aaron Beck or Albert Ellis (renowned researchers and authors of some of the most commonly used types of psychotherapy today), the way we interpret some things naturally awakens anxiety reactions An example is hypochondriasis, a condition in which people interpret changes in the body (example: a mole) as indicative of cancer or some more serious condition.

Although it may sound exaggerated to others, this is experienced with deep anguish and it is totally valid to feel that way. This is where our perception and interpretation come into play. Our experiences, lifestyle, health in general… shape the way we see things, It is a learning system.

So, this small model explains many conditions. It is not a simple statement, of course, and we must not leave aside the multiple additional related external factors that lead us to interpret things in a certain way, such as our family and work context, diseases we live with, violence, etc.

What role does psychotherapy play?

Therapy works not only with the way we see things; It is accompanied by changes in lifestyle, the way we relate to others, and setting limits for ourselves and others.

On the whole, we allow our brain to process information in a way that is kinder to us and allows us to cultivate greater emotional well-being.

Concluding…

As we can now consider, it is not just about recommending a positive perspective to others when we go through difficult times, it is a shift from many sources of stress to learning to visualize the big picture, and very importantly, in a way that is kinder to ourselves. Although for several authors, definitely, the way we see ourselves and the world can profoundly affect our state of mind.

Author: Dr Octavio Gascón – Medical specialist in mental health and cognitive psychotherapy.