Trying to be optimistic in a corona dominated world? Good for you!

Did you ever find yourself in a dystopian world, where you could not escape reality? Seems likely regarding the corona crisis and its perseverance. Some of us might wonder, what we can do in order to act in a healthier way. Positive psychology has an answer to that.

According to studies investigating the optimistic explanatory style, so a type of narration that explains experienced bad events with incidents, that are not linked to ones own behaviour or agency, people with a positive mindset are more resilient and can cope with bad events in a more efficient manner. In a study, two researchers investigated this narration style and its connection to a manner of uplifted spirit of controllability in threatening situations. You might wonder, what this is to you. Let me check you in:
Beforementioned clever researchers conducted a study with 86 adult volunteers, having them answering a questionnaire, which included 11 health problems and a scale of criteria which relates to its perceived severeness as well as 24 bad events and a rating on how likely you think it is, that this could or would happen to you.
Findings were, that people with an optimistic explanatory style do also view themselves as less likely to be part of a struggle and in combination to that are in general more likely, not only to be in control of their life, but also engage in healthier behaviour.
What I’m trying to say here is, there is evidence that if you’re keeping a positive mindset, it will not only make you think your less likely to get infected with the coronavirus (and thereby reduce anxiety), but also, if you were infected your chances are higher of overcoming this part of your life.

References

Peterson C., De Avila M. E. 1995, Optimistic explanatory style and the perception of health problems, Journal of Clinical Psychology, V. 51 (1)