Can negative emotions be completely overwritten?

**Posts:** 39 · by **romanrusso** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:54 am

Hi all,

Reading this uncommonforum I remember something I learned from positive psychology: we can stop focusing on the negative emotions, such as depression, anxiety, etc., and automatically become better and happier people. This would be consistent with a "30 day no negativity challenge," whereas we are challenged not to think negative for 30 days, and if we ever catch ourselves having such thoughts, we are told to let them go, focusing our attention on something else. In other words, it is similar to mindful meditation.

Does anyone have experience with this? Did it work for you?

Greetings!

**Posts:** 12131 · by **Richard@DecisionSkills** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:25 pm

Two things:

-1- A no negativity challenge. I find that to be pretty easy when I focus on the short term, i.e. the next two weeks. When I think in terms of what I can accomplish in two weeks and what life has to offer my emotional state is pretty positive. I think this is because two weeks is pretty easy to envision. It isn't complicated, vague, or full of unknowns or uncertainty. I can guess pretty accurately what the next two weeks will look like. I can control the next two weeks. Life looks good.

Only when I start thinking far into the future do I start to experience any sort of emotions that one might consider "negative". Not always, but sometimes. I think this is because the future is unknowable. This allows me to imagine a positive, bright future...but it can also sometimes result in imagining a darker future.

-2- Completely overwriting emotion. I don't have a problem with a healthy dose of negative emotions. I think it is important to have a good balance. It is like the emotion of regret. It is an emotion that serves a beneficial purpose. Experienced regret helps shape future behaviors. It also allows a person to anticipate future regret. Without the pain of regret a person is destined to repeatedly make bad decisions.

In research on regret the term used is "regulate". You don't want completely overwrite regret. Instead, you want to regulate the intensity. If the intensity is too low, a person will not learn from their mistakes. If the intensity is too high, it can be dysfunctional leading to maladaptive behaviors.

**Posts:** 41697 · by **desperate788** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:35 pm

So what the op should do?

**Posts:** 41697 · by **desperate788** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 7:25 pm

to op..
You can try a song found at yt music. Beautiful piano music: Release negativity anxiety calm music binaural beats. ıts doubtful ıf it helps but ı gave ıt a chance

**Posts:** 39 · by **romanrusso** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:59 am

@Richard - I can see you are quite a positive guy knowledgeable about psychology, which is great for helping people on this forum. I similarly see myself. Now, I wonder what other people without a psychology background think about this question. Hopefully, it's not too complex

@desperate788 - Would you try the 30 days no negativity challenge?

**Posts:** 41697 · by **desperate788** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:18 am

Yes why not?

**Posts:** 41697 · by **desperate788** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:20 am

Listening to music may ease negativity

**Posts:** 41697 · by **desperate788** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 2:01 pm

Diet also plays a role in your mood

**Posts:** 41697 · by **desperate788** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 3:13 pm

But dont eat chocolate

Can negative emotions be completely overwritten?

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

Main Menu

Psychology Resources

Recent posts

Active topics

Contact Us