Do you have to force that smile on your face, while you’re actually feeling sad? If you do so, then stop doing it as it can take a toll on your mental health. A recent study has revealed some surprising facts. The study has revealed that the pressure to feel happy even when you’re feeling blue can make you feel even lower. But on the same hand, if you embrace your darker moods without trying to change them can help you face your stress more successfully.
"We found that people who habitually accept their negative emotions experience fewer negative emotions, which adds up to better psychological health," said Iris Mauss, Associate Professor at the University of California - Berkeley.
People who resist accepting their sadness or judge them harshly end up being more psychologically challenged. But those who allow these bleak feelings to run their course reported fewer mood disorder symptoms than those who push them away, even after six months.
"Maybe if you have an accepting attitude toward negative emotions, you're not giving them as much attention. But, if you're constantly judging your emotions, the negativity can pile up," Mauss said.
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For the study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, tested the link between emotional acceptance and psychological health.The results showed that those who did not feel bad about their negative emotions showed higher levels of well-being than their lesser accepting peers. And, the group that typically avoids negative feelings reported more distress than their more accepting peers.
"It turns out that how we approach our own negative emotional reactions is really important for our overall well-being," explained Brett Ford, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto.
(With IANS Inputs)
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