The Benefits Of Being A Negative Person

Do you know the consequences of being a negative person?

“There is no evil that lasts a hundred years,” an optimist would say. “Nor a body that can endure it,” completes a negative person.

These are two different ways of thinking that face the same situation.

In times when a life with Instagram filters is celebrated, there are those who defend being negative.

How much truth is there in that optimism makes us naive and that being optimistic is a social requirement? How much truth is there in the fact that the benefits of being a negative person lie in self-protection?

Let’s look at that.

What is defensive pessimism?

Defensive pessimism, as the name implies, consists of a defense strategy through which we seek to protect ourselves from a potentially negative effect by anticipating a situation and focusing on its negative aspects.

From this definition we can begin to talk about expectation. Expectation is positive as long as it helps us prepare and has nothing to do with having a negative outlook on life.

Many people tend to emphasize the benefits of being a negative person: Negative thinking allows us to better assimilate what is not going the way we want it to.

The disadvantage of this way of thinking is that over time the person can always see himself as a disadvantage. This devalues ​​their positive aspects and the resources or protective factors they have.

On the other hand, be careful with the messages you send yourself: “I do not think I pass the exam because I am a loser” speaks to us about much more than defensive pessimism. It also suggests that our self-esteem is being punished.

Can it be an advantage to be a negative person?

As we mentioned, it can sometimes be beneficial to be negative because it can help us anticipate.

There are studies that indicate that people who think in a more pessimistic way are more proactive and take preventative measures. Since they are less confident, this gives them more benefits.

In a sustained way over time, however, it is not the best mindset. This is because, among other things, it can cause discouragement, lack of motivation to carry out projects, make us stick to our problems and not seek the solution.

We also need to think about what happens in the body when we live off negativity: The brain secretes hormones such as cortisol and glutamate in the adrenal glands. When they are constant, they have negative side effects.

Let’s look at some of the arguments that exist about the benefits of being a negative person:

The blow is not so hard when you are a negative person

Negative people always think of worst cases and scenarios. Expectations are therefore also lower. Therefore, when something goes well, they are surprised and enjoy it. When something goes wrong, they are not so frustrated.

We should also note that this often prevents them from enjoying the process and feeling excited, which are two very important components that are highly valued, whether the expected result is achieved or not.

Keeping your feet on the ground is part of being a negative person

Being guided by negativity would allow for a more detailed and realistic view of certain situations. The negative person may be more analytical.

So after thinking about different scenarios, they would also be more prepared. In this case, it is negative to be adaptive.

We must believe that when defense methods become rigid, they become obstacles. Defense mechanisms must be functional and adapted to the situation. Instead of defending themselves in advance, it would be best for these people to be able to focus more on the resources they possess to cope with a situation.

Does Defensive Pessimism Prevent Suffering?

This is a good question to ask when we equate negativity with avoiding pain and suffering.

However, the thought requires nuance: We avoid shock or surprise over a situation, but the discomfort is permanent. This is because the inability to think of ourselves as victorious is as painful as it is frustrating. One does not avoid pain simply by expecting it, as we experience it in the same way.

On the other hand, while pessimism has a bad reputation, the most appropriate solution or suggestion does not correspond to excessive optimism: Not all extreme conditions are good.

Today, there are various incentives for full-time happiness and seeing all the good things in life. This is what we know as toxic positivity. These ideas can be very healthy when they let us appreciate the little things in everyday life and move us away from complaining.

They can become limiting when they prevent us from expressing our emotions and dealing with them when we need to “cover up” what we feel because the discomfort makes us uncomfortable.

What is the best way to think?

It is important to try to find a middle ground as people in both cases are equally overwhelmed.

It’s not a matter of seeing everything with rosy glasses or storm clouds. It is about learning to recognize the nuances that exist in multiple situations. In other words, it is best to avoid overgeneralization.

There are no benefits to being a negative person if our thoughts prevent us from achieving our goals because they paralyze us, counteract us, or interfere significantly in our daily lives. In such a case, it may be appropriate to consult a professional. He can analyze what beliefs are at the root of our negativity.