facing illness with optimism offers many physical, cognitive, emotional and social benefits.
Last update: May 18, 2019
Dealing with the disease with optimism can make a difference on the prognosis, alleviate symptoms and even serve as a school of life. When we have to fight a serious illness, the world collapses under our feet. The first reaction is to think "why me?".
No one is prepared for this emotional charge and when it comes, it is difficult to manage. Sometimes, becoming aware of our vulnerability, we begin to ask ourselves questions and seek hope in the most hidden places. These emotional states can drain our energy reserves, lower self-esteem and take us away from sleep.
Maintaining a positive attitude is healthy, from every point of view. And when the disease is severe, it becomes essential.
Diagnosis of the disease and the emotional process
Behind every disease there is suffering, a malaise that requires all our efforts to achieve good management of emotions. These are phases in which the choice of an adequate coping strategy can make the difference between recovery, chronicity or complication of the disease itself. Last but not least, it affects the quality of our life.
In general, facing the disease with optimism offers many physical, cognitive, emotional and social benefits. Let us not forget, in fact, that a serene environment favors healing from any pathology.
The patient who does not accept the diagnosis suffers much more. In life it is essential to be able to find emotional harmony.
Dealing with the disease with optimism offers several benefits
Reacting to the disease with optimism certainly has benefits, but what exactly are they? Staying optimistic is easy when the prognosis is too; the matter becomes more complicated when fate is against us and nothing seems to go as it should.
Facing the disease with optimism strengthens us
The problems faced by a patient who thinks positively and a pessimist are similar. What favors optimism is the solution of the problem, or how much the person is involved in the process of finding the solution. This attitude makes us stronger, more resistant in the face of difficulties.
Goal: to maintain a positive attitude
It is advisable to include actions in daily life that help maintain optimism. Write a diary, open a blog, fill our space with life by listening to music. But also getting in touch with people who have experienced the same situation allows us not to limit the palette of our emotions to those with a negative value.
Accept the new situation
Accepting creates a starting point. Only from acceptance can we begin to organize our healing strategies. Otherwise, what is the use of the doctor prescribing drugs or exercises if we do not understand that there is a problem to intervene on?
This, however, has nothing to do with the catastrophism practiced by some. It means acknowledging the situation and not anticipating negative events that will not necessarily occur.
Helps to regain the right attitude towards life
A disease is always a great opportunity to separate what matters from the rest. We are absorbed or deceived by a frenetic and often superficial rhythm; disease is a good sieve.
Dealing with the disease with optimism changes our values
Values ​​are upheld and in turn support principles and priorities that help us make decisions. In this sense, traumatic events, personal crises or illnesses can induce an existential rethinking.
A 2016 Spanish research conducted by the University of AlmerÃa set out to analyze how much a diagnosis of serious illness can exert a change in personal values. In the course of this research, 87% of patients said they experienced a change in their priority system, giving greater importance to personal relationships, family, leisure and well-being. A higher degree of assertiveness, empathy and commitment also emerged.
