I agree with the OP so very strongly.
In fact I feel like my recovery from my worst mental problems was delayed severely by just being told to think positive, by my constant analysing my thoughts to make sure they were positive, and by my feeling phobic of any of my normal so-called 'negative' emotions (basically anyhting besides happiness, excitement and relaxation). Rather than worrying and just letting the worry pass, or being angry and just letting the anger pass, or being sad and letting it pass and going through normal grief... I'd compound all these feelings by feeling like I shouldn't be having them.
IMO one of the things that really prolongs unhappiness is being unhappy about being unhappy. Feeling like it's wrong to be unhappy and only right to feel happy. That just adds an extra layer of unhappiness and trying to force yourself into happiness will only make you unhappy.
Fantastic thread, Vic.
In fact I feel like my recovery from my worst mental problems was delayed severely by just being told to think positive, by my constant analysing my thoughts to make sure they were positive, and by my feeling phobic of any of my normal so-called 'negative' emotions (basically anyhting besides happiness, excitement and relaxation). Rather than worrying and just letting the worry pass, or being angry and just letting the anger pass, or being sad and letting it pass and going through normal grief... I'd compound all these feelings by feeling like I shouldn't be having them.
IMO one of the things that really prolongs unhappiness is being unhappy about being unhappy. Feeling like it's wrong to be unhappy and only right to feel happy. That just adds an extra layer of unhappiness and trying to force yourself into happiness will only make you unhappy.
Fantastic thread, Vic.
