Can Negativity Be Classed As An Illness?

In my experience as a therapist, I would say that negativity is indicative of some deeper conditioning. As human beings we tend to pick up and emulate behaviour patterns presented to us as we are growing up. It may not only be our parents, but teachers, siblings and/or friends that we learn this behaviour from. Anyone we considered to be an authority, consciously or subconsciously. From working with clients I have found that many baby-boomers have been exposed to negativity of others who have just lived through the war years. In fact I have noticed that with myself (born just after the war) there are moods that I experience that my parents exhibited that I witnessed, and most of it was picked up subliminally. Knowing the mechanics through my therapeutic training and meditation is no defence, it just supplies me with information that supports me in handling it. I think most of us will go through (sometimes) prolonged negative phases in our life. Some call it the dark night of the soul. I see this as a process of personal development and therefore turning a bad situation into something positive. As a Zen practitioner, I practice zazen (Zen meditation/mindfulness) every day, and any issues picked up by my subconscious mind as a result of my past conditioning are resolved through this practice. To put it into a nutshell, zazen brings unconscious conditioning into consciousness for resolution – (this can be called my karma). I could also say that there is always some sort of pay-off for certain moods and conditions and if we can identify that pay-off, we can then, if we are willing (important), transcend that condition. We can say to ourselves, “I know what this is about, and I don’t have to obey it”. Enjoying being negative I believe, is like another layer – the sufferer enjoys the pay-off, and doesn’t want to lose it. It could be bringing him/her understanding or sympathy from others, getting them to do certain things, getting them to be certain ways etc. The problem is, that this subconscious behaviour pattern only gets stronger each time other respond to it and try to make the sufferer “better”. So in my opinion, negativity is there is all of us from time to time. It can be used as a learning tool, as a way of manipulating our environment, in order to get us to paradoxically be more comfortable. It is a process that the ego has learned, and the ego just wants attention whether or not it is comfort or discomfort that will bring that attention. - Derek

Lots of questions, there, Wolfie. I think some people are naturally negative, and some people, due to disappointments and lack of coping skills become negative. Some people are raised to be negative and have to learn new patterns to become positive. I think negativity is a spiritual condition as well as a mental condition. I have been in conditions where everything was negative for a long time, and those conditions were in fact depression. I never got treatment, but did find my way out, and for me it was a case of being right with God and letting Him help me. I can remember some very negative thoughts and behaviors, and they were also completely without reason, but it was where I was mentally, emotionally and spiritually at the time. I did not like myself much then either. It was in no way a comforter, but could have been a defense mechanism to keep from opening up to things that could change me, and could also hurt me.

Permanent negativity can be part of mental illness usually part of major depression. It is probably caused by chemical imbalance of major neurotransmitters.... Many people think that person is negative by that person may need professional help.

hi wolfie I think negativity is partof depression. my table mate here spent a whole mealtime telling me all her problems, crying and complaining about everything,her health, her family, the food,the care takers, on and on, and the same thing everymeal.I listened sympathetically until my ears waNted to fall off. I sugested some remedies which she pooh poohed aNd went right on with the same agenda word for word.her family didnt come to see her the care takers preferred her roomate over her, on aNd on'until my head spun. call your kids, aSk them to see you,no no, talk to the administrator about x employee, oh no no. maybe she did use it as a safety blanket.she complained of horrible pain in the wounds on her legs, I said ask them to send you to the hospital, oh no no,but she got so sick that guess what they took her complaints and all to the hospital. now I no longer have to listen to that rote of complaints.I did feel sorry for her but I was helpless to help her aS she wou ldnt take advice from anyone.

Hi wolfie, negativity can be one of two things I think. It could be a permanent thing in someones character, someone perhaps made bitter at a young age who then perceives everything in a negative way so that other people choose to avoid them. Or there is negativity which is symptom of depression, so the person can feel themselves being negative and other people around feel it too, but this is not a permanent condition, it will pass when the person comes out of a depressed state. People will notice it though in more ways than just behaviour, a person going through this will often times walk with their head down and have bad posture. It should be treated as part of the depression.

I belive negativity happens when the person really has other underlying issues that have not been resolved, when some have experienced one crisis after another, and they don't see their life getting any better. This can cause a world wind of jealousy with those who seem to have it made in their life. In order to feel better about themselves, they have to critique everyone and everything around them, in order to build themselves up. My son has this problem, because he has had to struggle since a young child. Because he is very angry at his life, he is always finding fault with everyone, hoping it would make him feel better, and finding fault with everything else, purely out of frustration. The ony way I can see that it getting better, is by talking to a therapist, but once a week is certainly not enough. There should be therapists out there who are willing to do their job as often as they have to to quickly heal another individual. Of course, there is also the situation where someone is born into a family where there is negativity all around...it can be a learned behavior as well, and until someone points it out that someone is very negative, a person can go on and never realize it.

This is a very difficult question to answer. Yes it is due to low self esteem, as a teenager I rarely thought of anything positively, I was lucky enough to meet Mr Croc and he helped me gain a ot of confidence. It's also part of depression because if Mr Croc is having a bad bout he cannot see anything positive about anything. Mr Croc now copes by going to his computer and playing games. Being negative can also be a sort of 'safety blanket' as you don't push yourself to do anything because you already 'know' there will be a bad outcome. Start by realising you are a good person, try to list positive things about yourself. That's not easy for anyone, we can all list loads of negative things about ourselves but find it hard to list ten positives. You're counseelor has probably told you all of this but so have I now. Remember you are a lovely person and far too sensitive for your own good. Take care.

If someone is always negative I would tend to believe they do have some sort of mental illness and depression. They need to get some help and find the underlying causes.

It is how we intend to overcome our negative feelings that matters. Negative feelings will not bring you anywhere except down. It may be an illness but illness can be cured same as negativism.

Hi wolfie, I believe that it can be very difficult to change because strange as it may seem, some of the most negative people don't see the negativity in themselves. Some others use it to try to get sympathy, such as talking about an illness but never wanting to hear about a cure. Still others, as you mention use it as a safety blanket. There was a time when I found myself slipping into a negative attitude, but realized what was happening before it became a habit. Now I always try to think positive. I think too that some people have gotten themselves in such a state that it could be classified as mental illness. Blessings.

This is a hard one, Wolfie. I've always been called negative - but in actual fact I consider myself a realist. I'm definitely a glass-half-empty person, and it's been a huge hindrance to my life because whenever there are any opportunities I tend to make mental scenarios of everything that could go wrong, and end up talking myself out of doing anything because in the end it seems too much trouble or too risky. My husband and children are the exact opposite, however - and it's been really encouraging for me to see them tackling things I never would have done myself. My third daughter gets an idea into her head and then executes it - she worries about problems when they crop up and then deals with them - and because of this she's done so many interesting things. In the last few years I've tried very hard to be more positive, and I think I'm succeeding. When I feel myself about to say something negative, I bite my tongue and don't open my mouth. I don't think it's a mental illness as such, but I know it brings a downer to other people and makes them feel negative too. When I manage to stop myself saying something negative I feel really pleased with myself - that's got to be a good thing! I also believe negativity draws bad luck to you - so it's worth trying hard to view things in a happier light. It IS difficult to change after a lifetime of seeing things in a negative way, but it's definitely worth a try. (I blame the fact I'm a Virgo for being critical and negative - but it's no excuse!) Also, I think a lot of negativity stems from us not wanting to be disappointed. We probably think if we don't expect success, or nice things to happen, we won't be upset when it turns out to be crappy (just as we always expected) - so, it's a bit of a security blanket, certainly.

I grew up being negative because that's what my parents taught me. It wasn't until years later after leaving home did I finally drop it and become more positive. I believe in my heart that I'm a naturally positive person, but, because of my upbringing I learned to be negative. I'm so glad I managed to break free of that. It wasn't something that I struggled to break free of. It felt as if slowly, but, surely, I was shedding the negative skin (like a snake) that my parents had clothed me in all those years. I do believe that negativity can be a horrible illness and sickness and I feel sorry for people who are naturally negative or maybe it's not that anybody is naturally negative. Maybe, like me, something or someone, at an early age, caused that kind of negative thinking. It can take years to shed and I'm so glad I finally did. Purrs, Catwoman=^..^= & Mija

I'm thinking seriously about this one and I think yes, Negativity should be classed as an illness. I have focused on negative thoughts for most of my life and it hasn't done me any good, it hasn't helped in my progress with moving forward. Now I'm starting to focus on more positive thinking and I'm starting to notice a difference. Because I experienced negative thoughts I would look at everything in life in a negative light. I had very low self-esteem and I felt very very small! I still find things very difficult and I do have a comfort zone which I tend to remain permanently in, I guess this is a form of negativity but it works for me. I find it very difficult to change my ways and it's very uncomfortable too. When I look at my life though I think to myself, it's not the end of the world! Andrew

I think the enviroment that you grew up in have big influence on your negativity scale. One of my friend grew up with people around her telling bad things about her, especially during high school. That makes her become one of the most negative people I've ever meet. She always seems to assumpt the worst posible situation. We try to help her with that, slowly building her self confidence. It got a bit better after a year, but then she fell for a guy who doesn't share the same feeling for her, then she had relapse. I hope she'll get better otherwise it'll affect her life terribly. I've had my episodes with negative thoughts as well, including voices that tells me nobody wants me and I should just die, that this world would be better off without me. Well, SCREW THAT! Often I have to reminded myself, negative thoughts comes when you are in a bad mood. so sometimes it's a mind trick, really.

So many questions! Negativity is like the flu. It can even be contagious, in my experience. My parents are and have always been very negative. This is caused by being young with the war, seeing things children should not have to see. I have experienced negativity too. I have tried to stay positive in life, but there are times that I just cannot. Mostly when everything is going wrong and there is not food in the fridge. Negativity is influenced by the people we hang around with too. When you hang a round with positive minded people, you become more positive too. That is why I would say it is a disease. Like the flu. Mostly people who are negative lack trust. They don't trust that things can be positive.

Negativity is really a vague idea. For me negativity is simple: pessimism. Where do this arise? There are a lot of reasons and the top being emotional stress and traumatic experience. It is always good to keep in mind the history of the person with negative feelings. It may have to do with his upbringing or a past event that lead to his emotional fatigue. Negativity is not permanent, I say. It is easy to cure but is delicate too. A careful understanding of the situation may well prove to be the best way to help a negative thinker out of the dark path. The solution may be the person himself or the people close to his heart. Let us not put a period on a person. A negative man can be happy and can do greater things than even ordinary people can do. They just need support to get them out of the negative feeling. Negativity can be sometimes thought of as a safety blanket but the protection it gives from emotional harm is short lived. The real safety blanket is happiness. A happy person cannot go negative.

Wolfie, Interesting topic. I have come across in my life, folks that I have come to label as toxic. What I mean by that is that they choose to be negative all the time and they suck the energy right out of everyone around them. Ask them how their weekend was and they have a list of complaints.. Most folks will tell you it was good or might say that they went to a movie or did something else fun. But negativity is a choice in my humble opinion. I worked with one woman for over 5 years and she was negative in all her thoughts and comments. did her job very well but didn't have any friends at work. No wonder tho. Sad, because I don't think anyone ever came out and told her why. When I first joined the company, she was friendly and I went to lunch with her 2x. And that was enough for me. Everyone has good and bad days, but some folks just focus on what is bad. Not sure if it's part of depression or just a personality flaw. We are all imperfect but it's sad to see a person who chooses to continue a way of interacting with others that makes no one want to be around them for long. Since I worked with her for so many years, I got to meet her sister and they were both the same. If you said anything positive about anything, they countered it with something horrible. I was much younger then and didn't even think to try to help her see why "she just didn't fit in with her co-workers". Looking back, I wish that I'd been able to do something to help her but I have no idea what that would have been. To me, negativity breeds negativity and there are some that seem to be more comfortable with that, then trying to make the changes necessary to improve themselves and their lives. If one doesn't try then one doesn't have to go thru the failures and keep going to reach a goal. Some folks don't continue to grow as they progress in this life. We are only here for a short time, so why not try and make it the best experience possible for yourself and all those around you?

Hi, wolfie! Negative thinking seems to be a gene of my mother's family. As far as I was born, a bad cold caught me and my grandma did not believe I could survive. During my childhood, I was used to helping my grandma's mother to clean up her belongings because she was sure God would take her to the heaven in the near future. My mother is a wonderful woman, but she usually discourages me according to her worst perspective, especially at some most important time for me. You can imagine how negative could I be when I was a teenager. However, things have been found not so bad. Till three years ago, my mother's grandma is always singing at her birthday party before she was finally extricated at the age of 95. My grandma is glad to meet greetings from a healthy young man now. And my mother has long been enjoying her son's successes. See, negativity may never be classed as an illness in my family. It bases on our DNAs. If you have some relatives like I and find it really difficult to get rid of unwanted thoughts, you may try two efficient methods I have used. First, turn over your family album. Mine covered a half century history. When reflecting on their life choices in some typical situations and the following results, you may take yours easily. Second, take in enough fresh air. Our brains possess half air we breath. So the more you get in, the more your brain may use, and the more likely could chemical balance be built up. To say practically, seldom enter I into the gym. Instead, I sing outside in the nature. Singing is my grandma's mother's secret weapon and is inherited by me:) When singing an amusing song, bad thoughts flee away, fresh air around you sway and at last your world is no longer grey. Try and good luck!

There may be many reasons for negativity.One of the most common is a deep depression and in this state of mind,a person would not trust any body easily.He/she will feel inferior and will consider only a dark side of the matter.Broadly,we can't classify them as a patient in normal cases.There are basically three types of persons.1,Extrovert,2,introvert and 3,ambivert.

I use to get depressed and I would think negative thoughts like no one loves me, etc etc, I feel it can be a mental illness if you are negative all the time, you will eventually make yourself sick, when we think negative, negative things happen in our life, I know someone that always complain of some illness I told her she will eventually make herself sick, she did, this negative person needs to talk to someone something is not right, they need help, thinking negative all the time is scary. There is no way negativity can be comfortable, thats a lot of weight to carry, whenever I think negative something bad happens, like I may have a dispute with my daughter or other family member, I would like to know what is going on in this persons life that they are negative 24 hours a day, what kind of person is this? do they have good relationships with other people, do they have someone to talk with on a daily basis, do they even get along well with others, I can't see things going well for a person that is negative all the time. Let me apologize to you before I continue I have been up all night, I am so tired right now my glasses don't work, so if my post come out a little discombobulated that is because that is exactly how I feel right now, so please forgive me, I will proof-read but I know there is a chance I may miss something, you know what I will end this discussion and continue when I wake up, this is a great post, and I would really like to give you some useful feedback.