In the last decade there has been a trend to find the positive in everything no matter how distressing the situation. People who have a life threatening illness, people with disabilities, people with debilitating illnesses, people who have suffered a tragedy, people grieving, are all encouraged to remain hopeful, and see the positive.

I am interested in why there is such pressure to find the positive in one's suffering. A generation ago, when people became very ill, they received sympathy and best wishes.

Now people are bombarded with diets they should try, meditation and exercise regimes, positive ways of thinking to the extent they feel they are letting people down if they are not trying hard to be as optimistic as they can.

I recently read an article online about finding the positive things one has learned from depression.

Comments fell into three distinct categories: those who listed the things they had learnt from having depression, those who were angry that anyone would be fool enough to think there was anything the least bit positive about having depression and those who while acknowledging they may have a learnt one or two things from having depression they also felt that there was very little positive about having depression.

Probably among Moodscopers there are people who fall into three categories and maybe there are more groups.

What I would like to discuss is why it seems to me there is such pressure to be upbeat about everything. If one feels sorry because one has serious illness, one is made to feel they are being selfish.

Some people seem to be naturally optimistic but making everyone feel positive about everything to me seems a bit unnatural.

I would like to hear what other people think.

Do you think finding the positive in everything is very helpful?

Do you think there is too much pressure on people to be optimistic?

Or are you somewhere between the two thoughts.

Leah

A Moodscope member.