Health Buzz: Importance of a Positive Attitude and Other Health News
Reader Comments
Optimism and Health
It doesn't surprise me that optimism has very important ties to a person's health. As with any disease, you will have some negative and miserable people who live until a much older than average age, and optimistic and happy people who live shorter lives than average. On the whole, the study is agreeing with previous studies about whether happiness can improve health. Just like not all people who smoke get lung cancer, and not all meat-eating people get heart disease or a variety of cancers, you cannot expect all miserable people to die at an earlier age just because they are miserable.
Asha, I have to agree that there may be more factors in this. However, having an optimistic attitude and outlook is what helps a person deal with past situations that may not have been dealt with as well by a miserable person. There are some optimistic people whom have been through the same horrible past happenings as people whom are spreading negativity. Optimism isn't just for people whom have had a carefree and happy life without any work; optimism is the measure of how well a person can deal with the circumstances that his/her life takes on.
Pessimism V Optimism and Longevity
I've met some pretty feisty old ladies that were difficult to keep in line and who lived to their 90's....... Explain that!!!!
Positive Attitude Might Improve Your Health, Longevity study
It always irks me when studies of association are presented as if there is a causal effect. Perhaps those women in this study who were pessimistic, cynical, or less trusting experienced more negative or traumatic events in their lives and perhaps that is why their health and longevity will suffer. Suggesting ways to adjust their negative attitudes is misleading. Perhaps those who conducted the study should follow-up with a study to find out WHY those women have negative attitudes so that interventions can be targeted at the root cause instead of making suggestions on how to be happy.
