Pessimism Can Harm Your Health

Pessimistic people report more knee pain and worse functioning than those with similar knee problems who don't have such a negative outlook. Outlook, especially one that is negative and expecting the worst, "really affects the physical health of a person."

Researchers measured physical pain, functioning and outlook in 480 patients at least 65 years old who were suffering from arthritis. All of the study participants experienced pain in their knees on most days, which caused a certain amount of disability.

The researchers measured physical functioning and disability from pain by surveying patients and watching them perform day-to-day activities. Outlook was measured by asking people to rate how much they agreed with optimistic statements such as "I always look on the bright side of things" or pessimistic statements such as "If something can go wrong for me, it will."

The investigators found that people who appeared to be pessimistic were less able than others to perform all of the measured daily activities, which included walking, lifting an object, climbing stairs and getting in and out of a car.

Optimism, in contrast, appeared less connected to health, with people characterized by a more cheery outlook appearing no better able of performing most functions than others.

People who are pessimistic don't believe things will work out for them, and so they never try to achieve anything. They don't get a chance to find out if they can or can't do it.

As such, if pessimistic people don't even try to maintain certain health behaviours, such as exercise, they are less likely to keep up their physical conditioning, and so will feel more pain and function less well than their more upbeat peers.

And when negatively inclined people do try to exercise they may be more likely to feel pain, which just reaffirms their expectation that nothing works in their favour, so they might as well stop trying. It becomes a type of "negative self-fulfilling prophecy".

Optimistic people may be more likely to try to exercise. Although their efforts might keep their condition from deteriorating, they still may not actually improve, she added. Optimists are more likely to try, but they are not more likely to succeed.
Journal of Behavioral Medicine June 2002;25:219-231
Per www.mercola.com