Having negative thinking patterns aren’t always bad, as they can protect you and give you some more realistic expectations, but if they’re constantly around, they could be holding you back and be detrimental to your mental health. This article will share exactly why it’s unhealthy to have a pessimistic outlook and what you can do to address it.
It Prevents You From Reaching Goals
It’s one thing to be realistic about the goals you try to set out for, but being pessimistic can prevent you from being creative and experimenting with new things that can enhance your life.
For example, you might have a preconceived notion that you’re not talented enough to pursue something, like art, music, acting, cooking, or any hobby, really. However, while some people might be naturally inclined to be good at certain things, it also takes a lot of time and effort and having the discipline to practice outweighs any innate talent.
By having negative ideas like the one above, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for a lot of people because you won’t take the time to learn and become skillful at a particular craft, or you give up too quickly. In reality, talent comes from committing to your goals.
Having a pessimistic outlook on life can be detrimental to all of your relationships, not only because it can be contagious and can lower others’ moods, but it’s also linked with conflict.
People who are pessimistic might have a hard time trusting people, including their friends and family and they might automatically assume the worst in others. This can lead to wild accusations and start fights that could have been potentially avoided.
If this sounds familiar to you, it might be hard to realize that your outlook could potentially be the reason why it’s happening, but thankfully, it is something that can be addressed by having an open mind and learning how to communicate more effectively.
It Can Contribute To Depression & Anxiety
When people are pessimistic, it can be difficult to see the good in things, and if it’s chronic, it can make people prone to mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.
On the other hand, these types of conditions can also cause pessimism; it’s very common for people who have been optimistic in the past to struggle with depression and find it difficult to get out of bed and look forward to the future.
Nonetheless, pessimism can only fan the flames of these types of disorders, but by addressing your thinking patterns, you can find relief and overcome depression and anxiety.
Want To Learn How To Deal With Pessimism?
If a negative perspective has been causing problems in different areas of your life, such as the topics discussed in this article, you are encouraged to read more resources from BetterHelp that can help you challenge pessimism and change your current outlook.
You also don’t need to do it on your own, and you’ll also be able to find information on how you can connect to a counselor or therapist online who can give you the skills you need to have a more joyful life and optimistic point of view ahead of you.
Conclusion
It’s not practical to lose all of your pessimism, but it is getting it to a healthier level and becoming a more optimistic version of yourself. Your mindset can be changed, especially with professional assistance, and by doing so, you can find fulfillment once again.
This content is a guest post from Marie Miguel from Better Health.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
