Is positive psychology really effective?
When we experience loss, it is normal and natural to feel sad. It is also normal and natural when we are under stress to use safety seeking strategies such as pulling back from support structures, such as friends and family. At the same time, it can sometimes be difficult to move through such normal experiences and rediscover the joys in life. We can get stuck under the weight of loss and stress, feeling alone and on edge, especially when the stress is chronic.
Reminders of loss often arise at this time of year, whether it is the loss of the innocence of our childhood or the loss of someone that we loved. Mix in the stress of the holiday season, when our “To Do” list grows long, and it is a recipe for pulling us down into the gloom and making us more susceptible to falling ill. It can be especially challenging when experiencing this sense of spiraling downward when we don’t have any tools to support us in turning it around.
When we feel alone and don’t want to bother anyone with our troubles, where can we turn to support our navigation through such powerful emotions that tend to knock us off balance? Is it truly possible to use positive psychology to get us unstuck and back in balance? Can the technology wave of online help deliver such life balancing tools, allowing us to take this journey from the privacy of our homes?
Well, a new randomized controlled trial took a look at a facilitated online positive emotion regulation intervention with caregivers responsible for people with a diagnosis of dementia. It was a 6-week intervention that focused on testing the effects on positive emotion, depression, anxiety, and physical health. This study demonstrated that there are tools that can teach us to experience a more positive attitude and when we have a more positive attitude, it reduces the powerful emotions of anxiety and depression! This study supports the use of online, remotely delivered programs to support the navigation towards psychological well-being through the use of positive psychology tools.
If you would like to read more about this research, click on the link below:
