What can a person do to cheer up when feeling sad and depressed? Is there an effective method for treating anxiety and depression without medication? Findings from positive psychology research studies suggest several self-help tools that can elevate positive emotions, offering potential anxiety and depression self-help treatments without medication.
To fight feelings of sadness, anxiety and depression, create a personal first-aid kit of positive emotions. Bridget Grenville-Cleave described such a kit in her Positive Psychology Daily News article "The PE Kit: Five Tools for Countering Depression," attributing the name to author and speaker Miriam Akhtar at the 5th Annual Bristol Happiness Lectures.
Does a positive attitude just happen or can a depressed and anxious person overcome feelings of sadness by choosing positive thinking interventions? Psychology research studies describe a phenomenon termed the positivity ratio, which is the ratio of positive to negative emotions. Dr. Barbara Fredrickson (Positivity, Random House, 2009) indicates experiencing three times more positive emotions than negative emotions "leads people to a tipping point beyond which they naturally become more resilient to adversity."
By applying emotional first-aid by intentionally self-administering positive emotion interventions three times more than negative thoughts occur, a person feeling sad and depressed can elevate her emotions.
Treating Depression and Anxiety
Akhtar's suggested positive emotion first-aid kit includes these evidence-based interventions or exercises in positive thinking:
Savor the Positive: Savoring is the art of relishing and paying special attention to something enjoyable. Savoring is commonly used in relation to foods, but positive psychology research studies reveal there are benefits in learning to savor more than a good meal or tasty treat. Studies show that savoring positive events is correlated with a greater sense of well being, greater happiness, and even better health.
Practice Gratitude: In a recent interview by Senia Maymin carried in the International Positive Psychology Association Newsletter of April, 2008, Dr. Alex Wood, a postgraduate researcher in the Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, defines gratitude this way: "Gratitude is a life orientation towards noticing and appreciating the positive in the world." Research reveals that regularly practicing gratitude – such as the three good things interventions – brings increased feelings of positive emotions.
Develop Strengths: Each person possesses unique skills and abilities, ways of behaving which result in excellent performance. Positive psychologists call these signature strengths, or the more recently described terms, realized and unrealized strengths. In addition to strong performance results from using strengths, utilization of strengths also elevates positive emotions. The availability of online strength self-assessments from reputable sites makes it easy for a depressed person to determine her strengths.
Cultivate Connections: Research shows that strong relationships are highly correlated with increased happiness. Cultivating strong relationships comes naturally to some people, but anyone can learn behaviors that strengthen relationships. It's equally important to learn to break bad habits that can damage relationship.
Self-care: Positive emotions correlate with an active mind, a healthy body, and spiritual awareness. The benefits of spirituality are not limited to those who practice a religion, but instead accrue to those who connect with something larger than themselves.
Personalized Positive Emotion First Aid Kit
Though a first aid kit purchased from any pharmacy is likely to be stocked with appropriate necessities, one size doesn't fit all from the standpoint of happiness. For a positive emotion kit that is effective, personalize it in advance by selecting a series of interventions from the references above and be prepared for those times when anxiety and depression hit.
Jerry Lopper - IPPA member, business and engineering degrees. Jerry's passion for personal development shows in 5 books, hundreds of articles & ...
Join the Conversation