Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson believes that positive emotions play a key role in our ability to withstand shocks.
“Can we resist depression and remain optimistic even when the world around us seems hostile and dangerous? I began to study this topic shortly before the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York in 2001. That day, I was on the train home, and everyone around was discussing the tragedy. My neighbor asked me if we can stay the same after what happened? And I remembered that on the way to the station I saw people laughing in cars. I answered: people have remained the same. Yes, they are shocked, they suffer, they are very worried, but they are still laughing, communicating with each other, they are still able to live.
There is an idea that during crisis situations people do not experience positive emotions. This is not true. It’s just that these emotions are more restrained. I had the opportunity to compare the behavior and self-perception of people before and after the disaster. We asked study participants to determine how depressed they feel, what emotions they experience associated and not associated with terrorist attacks. Many noted that they feel anxiety, fear about the future, they do not sleep well at night. But at the same time, they spoke of support, empathy, joy that they could avoid death. 60% of respondents reported that after experiencing the horror their relationship with loved ones improved, they began to care more about their partners and relatives. There were those who felt even happier after the disaster than before. Usually these people in everyday life were inclined to pay attention to positive moments and simple joys, rejoiced at the good weather, pleasant communication in a friendly company and new impressions. Thus, the habit of positive emotions helped them to maintain composure and not lose heart in a crisis situation.
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In addition, those who are resilient to shocks have found another important quality. They “switched” from negative emotions to positive ones more easily and recovered faster from stress. After all, stress, like anger or fear, makes us spend a lot of energy. So the body reacts to a possible danger. When we are in a tense state for a long time, we get tired faster and become more vulnerable. Living and releasing negative emotions, we not only save strength, but also protect ourselves from mental trauma.
It is not the events themselves that determine how we react to them, but how we are generally used to responding to stressful situations. By learning to manage our feelings, to see (and generate) sources of positive emotions, we will be able to create an energy reserve for ourselves and successfully withstand even strong shocks.
Barbara Fredrickson, social psychologist, specialist in positive psychology, employee of the University of North Carolina (USA). A recording of the lecture can be found on the University of Pennsylvania website www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu
