Posts Tagged: pathological optimism

“Pathological Optimism”

On August 24, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

A friend of mine and I were on a phone call yesterday. We were talking about covid-19 deniers. He used a phrase that I had never heard before. I’m not sure if he came up with it, but whoever did, my gratitude to you! My friend (who is a psychologist) said that he thought there is a condition that ought to be called “pathological optimism.” Perhaps in some cases, covid-19 deniers are pathologically optimistic.

Now, I don’t think that my friend was saying that all optimism is a bad thing, but I do think he is on to something. And here is the thing: We are probably all covid-19 deniers at times. How many times have I said since this all began, “This just doesn’t seem real!” Truth is, I don’t want it to be real. How far is that, really, from denial and pathological optimism?

And what about when I “forget” to wear my mask in public, as I often do? Am I really forgetting, or am I being pathologically optimistic?

Furthermore, I tend to set myself up for deeper pathology by little pathologies. For example, I routinely try to accomplish in a day or an hour or a minute, more than any normal or super-normal person can accomplish. What is that, except pathological optimism?

Now again, optimism itself is not an inherently bad thing. A positive attitude toward life is healthy. But, as with all healthy things, even positivity can become deadly when it is pushed to the extreme.

So, what is the antidote to pathological optimism? There isn’t any antidote. What there is, I think, is a whole series of consistent, life-style decisions. Let me list the decisions I need to make consistently as affirmations:

  • I am taking the problems seriously.
  • I am taking the problems underneath the problems seriously.
  • I am doing lots of worst-case scenarios, and then asking myself, “What can I do to make things slightly better?”
  • I am refusing to think that things will just magically get better.
  • I am trusting a God who is bigger than my best and worst optimisms and pessimisms, and can forgive me for both.

I put the most important affirmation last.

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