Positive Psychology: What It Is and How It Can Help

Historically, psychology has focused on understanding, and alleviating, the challenges individuals face in their daily lives. From understanding the causes, progression, and treatment for common mental health conditions, to focusing on dysfunctional behaviours, psychology has often highlighted the difficulties of life.

But, positive psychology seeks to highlight the power of positive thinking and help individuals understand what makes life worth living. In this article, we dive deep into what positive psychology is and how you can benefit from its ideologies.

Also read: The Science of Humour

What is Positive Psychology?

Understanding the challenges that individuals face in their daily lives is important, it helps us learn how we can help. But, focusing only on the negatives makes us unable to understand how we can prevent these sufferings rather than focusing on a cure.

This is exactly what positive psychology aims to do. Positive psychologists focus on the common traits among individuals who thrive in this world, rather than focusing on the hardships of life. It is founded on the belief that people want to live enriching lives, which look beyond just ending one's suffering. 

With positive psychology, individuals learn how to build strengths to accomplish their goals and live up to their potential. Positive psychology is not a new methodology, it does not seek to replace traditional psychology, but supplement it in meaningful ways.

Are positive thinking and positive psychology the same thing?

Though they may appear to be the same thing, positive psychology is not the same as positive thinking. 

Positive psychology is a scientific field, with empirical and replicable findings. Research in this field gives us insight into the positive emotions in life, what makes living satisfying, and helps us learn more about the building blocks of emotional well-being. Whereas positive thinking is just a mindset that can help us look at the brighter side of things.

Moreover, positive thinking focuses on being optimistic at all times. But, positive psychologists understand that sometimes realistic thinking may be more beneficial. Being optimistic can be helpful, but in some situations, it can lead to underestimation of risks, which can have a negative impact on your life.

Also read: How Important is Self-care to Your Overall Mental Health?

What are the three levels of positive psychology?

The three levels of positive psychology are important characteristics of this field. It focuses beyond individual feelings of happiness, seeking to understand the positive aspects of your communities as well.

The three levels of positive psychology are:

• Subjective Level: This level focuses on positive feelings and emotions, such as optimism and happiness that occur as a result of your daily experiences. 

• Individual Level: This level combines subjective feelings with qualities that help in making you a well-rounded individual, such as the ability to forgive, feelings of courage, and love.

• Group Level: This level focuses on attributes that help in strengthening your bonds with your community and society. It focuses on traits such as altruism and social responsibilities.

Also read: The Power of Community Support in Mental Health Recovery

Positive psychology can make a great impact on an individual's daily life by helping people change their perspective. With the learnings from this field, individuals can not only learn how to improve their self-esteem but also build satisfying and meaningful relationships.

Sources:

1. https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/learn-more/frequently-asked-questions

2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/positive-psychology

3. https://thriveworks.com/blog/positive-psychology-movement-benefits/

4. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/positive-psychology-definition-guide-what-is/