Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2014 Have you ever considered the worst possible\noutcome of an event, only for that thought to keep circling in your mind\neven after the situation has changed? Recent research shows that\nnegative thoughts can become harder to release when they interact with\nemotions and the habit of repeatedly dwelling on a problem.<\/p>\n
According to a report by Psychology Today on Monday (31\/8) local\ntime, the study found that a person can become trapped in a negative\ninterpretation of a situation that in fact still holds many\npossibilities.<\/p>\n
For example, when a message sent to a friend goes unanswered, a\nperson may initially think their friend is simply busy. However, after\nseeing the friend active on social media, the thought arises that they\nare being avoided or have upset their friend.<\/p>\n
The problem is not merely the emergence of negative thoughts, but the\nability to change that view when new information arrives. A person may\ncontinue to believe their friend is angry even after receiving an\nexplanation that the friend really was busy.<\/p>\n
The study\u2019s results showed that participants who experienced more\nsymptoms of depression and social anxiety tended to find it harder to\nlet go of negative interpretations.<\/p>\n
The researchers also found a reciprocal relationship between negative\nthoughts and emotions. When someone finds it more difficult to release a\nnegative interpretation, they subsequently tend to experience more\nnegative emotions. Conversely, when their mood worsens, they are also\nmore likely to cling to a negative interpretation of an unclear\nsituation.<\/p>\n
The habit of repeatedly thinking about the same problem, known as\nrumination, also reinforces this cycle. A negative interpretation can\nkeep a person dwelling on a problem, whilst that habit in turn makes the\nnegative thought even harder to release.<\/p>\n
Jonas Everaert, Ph.D., one of the researchers and an assistant\nprofessor of clinical psychology at Tilburg University as well as a\nsenior researcher at KU Leuven, explained that this relationship shows a\ntwo-way influence between thought and emotion.<\/p>\n
In other words, when a negative thought arises, a person does not\nhave to replace it immediately with a positive one. They can try to\nconsider other possible explanations and see whether any new information\nmight change their initial view.<\/p>\n
The researchers also noted that managing emotions can help a person\nthink more flexibly. Reducing pressure, breaking the habit of dwelling\nrepeatedly on a problem, seeking support from others, or redirecting\nattention towards positive experiences could be several approaches that\nwarrant further study.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the study still only shows relationships between\npsychological processes and has not yet proven causation. Further\nresearch is needed to determine whether particular strategies can\ngenuinely help a person release negative interpretations more\neasily.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/study-explains-why-negative-thoughts-are-hard-to-shake-off-1788789565", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }