How To Generate Positive Affect In Situations Of Chronic Stress
Stress is usually related to negative affect, but it has been proven that In situations of chronic stress, positive affect can also appear frequently and that it is not incompatible.
On the other hand, affect can be defined as an emotional state that is central to an experience. It can be divided according to its valence into positive or negative affect; or according to its intensity, in weak or strong affection.
Negative affect includes unpleasant emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, hostility, and guilt. For its part, positive affect includes pleasant emotions, such as joviality, kindness, relief, self-confidence, experience seeking, and vitality.
In general, we all have a greater tendency to experience positive or negative emotions regarding the circumstances of our lives. This tendency will depend on genetic and learning factors. Despite this, affects are dynamic and depend on the context, with inter- and intrapersonal variability. This opens the door to the possibility of learning new coping strategies which increase the probability of experiencing positive affects even in situations of chronic stress.
Historically, Negative affect has been considered to have an adaptive function when situations appear that exceed our coping resources and they generate stress for us. This is because emotions, such as anxiety or anger, allow us to become aware that a problem exists, focus our attention on it, and provide us with energy and motivation to take some type of action against said problem.
Positive affect, on the other hand, has been related to reduced attention to problems and the decreased motivation to take care of them, by providing a sense of security.
However, studies have found that positive affect, far from what is referred to, expands our creativity and flexibility, encouraging us to be able to expand the range of behaviors that we put in place to face stressors. In addition, it helps us process information even when it is bad news and allows us to take a break from so much discomfort.
This can be considered adaptive, especially in situations where stress is maintained over time. Also, it can be a measure to prevent the development of clinical symptoms of an obsessive and/or depressive type.
How can we generate positive affect in situations of chronic stress?
Folkman and Moskowitz (2000) conducted a longitudinal study with caregivers of people with HIV. In it, they identified three types of coping related to the emergence and maintenance of positive affect: positive reinterpretation, goal-oriented coping, and the search for meaning in everyday situations.
1. Positive reinterpretation
The positive reinterpretation is a cognitive strategy that is summarized in what is commonly known as “seeing the glass half full” instead of “half empty.” It includes the primary appraisal of the situation as something that brings some benefit, no matter how small, and the avoidance of comparison with other people’s circumstances.
Furthermore, it usually goes hand in hand with the activation of personal values. In the case of caregivers, the effort made was valuable as it was a demonstration of love and helped preserve the dignity of the sick people they cared for.
This type of coping is active and is directed at specific objectives to solve a specific problem. It may include searching for information, making decisions, developing an action plan, resolving conflicts, acquiring new knowledge, or developing new skills.
Even in situations where the controllability of the course of events is low, as is the case with caregivers, It has been proven that focusing on specific tasks promotes positive affect In particular, it increases the perception of effectiveness and mastery, promoting confidence in one’s own resources and abilities to cope with the stressor while it lasts, regardless of the final outcome. 3. Give meaning to everyday situations.
“Is there something that you did today, or something that happened to you, that made you feel good and that had meaning to you and helped you get through the day?” This is one of the questions that were asked of caregivers in the study described. 99.5% said yes. Half of the situations described were planned and intentional (e.g., making a special meal or meeting friends) and the other half were events that simply happened (e.g., seeing a pretty flower or receiving a compliment for something minor).
The meaning we give to everyday situations It is what shapes the specific emotions we feel every day when we are going through a time of stress. It should be differentiated from the meaning that we can give to our lives, which is something abstract and is related to beliefs and expectations about ourselves, the world and the future.
Both negative and positive affect play an adaptive function in stressful situations
Although emotions such as sadness or anger can help us become aware that something is happening and focus our attention on it, positive emotions also help us cope with difficult situations, especially when these circumstances persist for a long time. These are not incompatible emotions, but rather they can occur simultaneously in the face of the same event.
Specifically, positive affect can prevent the appearance of psychopathological symptoms, stimulate our creativity and increase our flexibility and ability to adapt.
Each of us, through our experiences, discovers what things help us face the difficult moments in our lives. What studies suggest we do to generate positive affect while we are going through difficult circumstances or chronic stress are three strategies: positive reinterpretation, goal-oriented coping and, most especially, giving meaning to everyday situations. In psychotherapy processes, professionals who support patients also make use of these principles.
