Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad Can Make You Feel Worse (berkeley.edu)

Posted by msmash on from the dillema dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Pressure to feel upbeat can make you feel downbeat, while embracing your darker moods can actually make you feel better in the long run, according to new UC Berkeley research. "We found that people who habitually accept their negative emotions experience fewer negative emotions, which adds up to better psychological health," said study senior author Iris Mauss, an associate professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. At this point, researchers can only speculate on why accepting your joyless emotions can defuse them, like dark clouds passing swiftly in front of the sun and out of sight. "Maybe if you have an accepting attitude toward negative emotions, you're not giving them as much attention," Mauss said. "And perhaps, if you're constantly judging your emotions, the negativity can pile up."

41 of 102 comments (clear)

  1. Metafeelings by Moblaster · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is why I suck at competitive Starcraft. No meta-game. But at least have a scientifically-validated excuse to tell wifey next time I disappoint her by not feeling disappointed about disappointing her, "hey! I got no meta-feelings!"

  2. Guilt adds to the burden by Bruce66423 · · Score: 1

    If you should be a happy camper, and you're not and your boss / friends / family are expecting you to be a happy camper, of course you are going to feel worse than if you are allowed to be honest about how you are feeling.

    1. Re:Guilt adds to the burden by arth1 · · Score: 1

      I'm having a hard time understanding how anyone can feel good about feeling bad. But that seems to be the recommendation based on TFA.
      Insane people feel better?

    2. Re:Guilt adds to the burden by Quirkz · · Score: 2

      If I get dark and cynical enough, it goes from gloomy to deep to absurd to funny, and I end up laughing at myself. I have no idea if it works for anyone else.

      From a mindfulness perspective, sometimes just recognizing what you're really feeling (as opposed to denying or fighting it) might also help it clarify, and then pass.

      And then there's the Slashdot headline, which says the opposite of what the summary says. What's up with that?

      --
      The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
    3. Re:Guilt adds to the burden by PPH · · Score: 1

      Not so much feeling good about feeling bad. But accepting that your moods change and sometimes you are going to feel down. It's normal and you'll get over it.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    4. Re: Guilt adds to the burden by plate_o_shrimp · · Score: 1

      Not feeling good with feeling bad, but rather accepting that sometimes you will feel bad, it's normal, and it will pass. So rather than feeling good about feeling bad, you're /equanimous/ about feeling bad. The Buddha figured this out 2500 years ago...

      --
      This sig has exceed its monthly bandwidth allotment.
    5. Re:Guilt adds to the burden by Pfhorrest · · Score: 1

      The headline is saying that if you "feel bad about" feeling bad in the sense of rejecting it and fighting it, it can make you feel worse than if you accept it and let it pass, which is also what the summary says.

      --
      -Forrest Cameranesi, Geek of all Trades
      "I am Sam. Sam I am. I do not like trolls, flames, or spam."
    6. Re:Guilt adds to the burden by Quirkz · · Score: 1

      Yeah, my brain broke down somewhere while trying to translate the triple negative. No other explanation.

      --
      The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
  3. Shit... by Nutria · · Score: 1

    this has been obvious for decades. Centuries, even. Keep a stiff upper lip and soldier on instead of emoting.

    Thanks, 1970s, for fucking something else up!

    --
    "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
    1. Re:Shit... by gringer · · Score: 1

      this has been obvious for decades. Centuries, even. Keep a stiff upper lip and soldier on instead of emoting.

      This research suggests the opposite. Instead of trying to ignore (or cancel out) the emotions, recovery to a better state is quicker if individuals accept their emotional state.

      --
      Ask me about repetitive DNA
    2. Re:Shit... by Nutria · · Score: 1

      "I'm sad, I'm angry, on the inside. But I soldier on anyway."

      --
      "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
  4. Re:About indirection by king+neckbeard · · Score: 1

    No, FEAR is the mind killer, not stress.

    --
    This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
  5. Feeling Annoyed, Bored, etc. by retroworks · · Score: 1

    Seems par for the course

    --
    Gently reply
  6. impossible expectations by avandesande · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That's why I stay away from FB: It's impossible to be happy all the time... why is this even some kind of goal? Sad or dull moments make the happy ones more poignant.

    --
    love is just extroverted narcissism
  7. Recursive Headline FTW by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad Can Make You Feel Worse

  8. Headline of the fucking year, folks by blackomegax · · Score: 1

    What would we do without science?!

  9. Vicious cycle by alvinrod · · Score: 1

    Does feeling bad about feeling worse because you're feeling bad about feeling bad also make you feel worse? This sounds like a vicious cycle in a way, so where's the bottom? Is it being goth and trying to embrace beauty in pain or something like that, and if so is the cure worse than the disease?

  10. Yeah, but what about... by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 1

    Feeling bad about feeling good? Does that make you feel better?

    --
    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  11. Too Much Cringe by SmaryJerry · · Score: 1

    The Slashdot title alone is cringe because no shit Sherlock. The paper is claiming if someone has gotten over a negative thing then they have less negativity than someone who hasn't. A toddler could tell you more of anything means more of anything, including more negative means more negativity. Also, what the hell is this doing on Slashdot, there is nothing at all technology related.

    1. Re:Too Much Cringe by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      No, it means that, if you're feeling down, just accepting that you're down and keeping going is better than trying to find reasons why you're down. Getting over it is not required.

      As far as applicability, lots of geeks suffer from depression.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  12. Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad... by Freischutz · · Score: 1

    Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad Can Make You Feel Worse

    Am I the only one who read that sentence and let fly a clearly audible: DUUUUUHHHHH!!!! ???

  13. Ric Romero and Capitain Obvious agree by williamyf · · Score: 1

    In a Joint Statement today, the Ric Romero Institute and Capitain Obvious indicated that they agree wholeheartedly with the results from UC Berkley about feeling bad about feeling bad makes you feeling worse.

    The institute will dedicate more funds to research the subject, searching for a Joint study with Berkley, while Capitain Obvious will use his public opinion powers to raise awarenes about the subject, specialy amongst people who suffer from depression (yours truly included), who know nothing abut this strange effect.

    News at eleven...

    --
    *** Suerte a todos y Feliz dia!
  14. Re:You all know my answer... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    With that ID number, you must be as well.

    You must need reading glasses. My user id number has six digits. Newer user id numbers have eight digits.

  15. They be singin' the blues by sysrammer · · Score: 1

    There is an entire genre of music devoted to "feeling bad". Western music also has a mode for this kind of thing--it's called the minor key. Country-western has lots of "My Woman Ran Off with my Best Friend's Truck" songs, too. These guys need to get out more.

    --
    His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
  16. Re:About indirection by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    It's not about honesty, it's about indirection.

    Or maybe it can be about pardon. Pardoning yourself for the negative feelings has a healing power.

  17. I'm going to ignroe politics... by Jhon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    and answer from the heart.

    I've had a lot of personal horror in my life. Here's what I've found works for me:

    I PRETEND to be happy and upbeat when I don't feel that way. And you know what? The act of my smiling and speaking a certain way actually *DOES* improve my overall mood. Hell -- just SMILING changes my mood -- even when there's nothing for me to smile about.

    Just because there's a lot of crap in my life I wouldn't wish upon anyone doesn't mean I need to let it slip in to my interactions with a world that for the most part wouldn't give a rip -- or would care too much an attempt a level of intimacy I don't want from strangers or casual acquaintances or co-workers.

    1. Re:I'm going to ignroe politics... by Jhon · · Score: 1

      Also helps by improving the mood of people you interact with. Make people you are around happy, and the reverse becomes a bit more true

      You should have posted under your name. Quite insightful.

    2. Re:I'm going to ignroe politics... by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Good for you. It doesn't usually work that way for people with real depression.

      Depression is not about any crap that happened to you. It just is. Faking feeling better isn't going to do any good. Faking feeling better to get out and dealing with people or accomplishing something may be worthwhile, but just pretending you're happy does not work.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  18. Re:You all know my answer... by Pfhorrest · · Score: 1

    What is with all the cremier hate I have been seeing on this site lately? What has he done? Apparently he's a friend of some friend of mine on this site so I'd expect I would be seeing his posts filtered up for me frequently but I have no friggin' clue who he even is, just that I keep seeing posts like this hating on him. What's the deal?

    --
    -Forrest Cameranesi, Geek of all Trades
    "I am Sam. Sam I am. I do not like trolls, flames, or spam."
  19. No shit. by Qbertino · · Score: 1

    Recent findings brought to you by the Captain Obvious Research Institute.

    --
    We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
  20. Re:You all know my answer... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    What's the deal?

    Successful fat people make Slashdot trolls feel stupid.

    Check out my Slashdot page, "There are 10 types of people on Slashdot...", and my past blog postings.

  21. Thanks UC Berkeley... by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 1

    Now I feel bad about feeling bad about feeling bad!

  22. Is the reverse also true? by reboot246 · · Score: 1

    Can feeling good about feeling good make you feel even better?

    Right now I'm feeling better than a Walker County inmate with a brand new jar of peanut butter.
    (google it for the joke)

  23. Isn't this what "Inside Out" was about? by Hussman32 · · Score: 1

    I'm wondering if the study started before or after the movie Inside Out was released. SPOILER: The main child character, Riley, was about to run away, but when her emotions (Joy and Sadness) allowed Sadness to express herself, then she cried and was able to express herself.

    Very good movie, much better than "Herman's Head" was.

    --
    "Who are you?" "No one of consequence." "I must know." "Get used to disappointment."
  24. Count your blessings by mfnickster · · Score: 1

    When someone is depressed, don't tell them to count their blessings or focus on the good things. "See? You have so much to be happy about."

    The reaction this elicits is: "You're right. These are all good things... so why am I not happy?"

    --
    "Slow down, Cowboy! It has been 3 years, 7 months and 26 days since you last successfully posted a comment."
  25. Re:You all know my answer... by ls671 · · Score: 1

    Maybe you need some glasses for yourself? No uid on /. has 8 digits, none.

    --
    Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
  26. Re: You all know my answer... by ls671 · · Score: 1

    Good one AC!

    --
    Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
  27. Akin by poofmeisterp · · Score: 1

    "Slicing into a cut made by a knife that's bleeding, with a knife, can make the cut bleed more."

    Now, where can I get my multi-million-dollar funding to get a research project done to prove that?

    1. Re:Akin by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      I'll support you. I'd like to see proof of a knife that's bleeding.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
  28. Mindfulness by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

    If you study mindfulness, you learn that resisting negative feelings is like forcing your will against them, but they do exist so you can not just will them away. It's tempting because you don't like the situation, and want to eliminate it, or let it never happen again to us. But adding negativity to negativity is throwing fuel on the fire, resisting reality doesn't make the reality go away.

    Accepting it allows you to move on. Bad things do happen unfortunately. If we can learn to make the best of it, or at least stop feeling worse, then overall we will feel better. It doesn't feel like the thing we want to so at the time, but it will make the next step in our life easier to not make things worse right now.

    --
    Twinstiq, game news
  29. inside out by thoper · · Score: 1

    DidnÂt yall see the pixar movie "inside out". thats bassically the plot-