Negative Emotions Essay

Whether it is anger, anxiety, sadness, or fear, individuals are consistently experiencing negative emotions. Due to our current culture, these feelings are almost always devalued and often disregarded. Being depressed or ill becomes labelled as a “problem” that needs to immediately become neutralized or fixed. This stigma creates a difficulty in accepting or even discussing negative emotions; however, acknowledging such feelings can actually be vital to mental health. People rarely appreciate their negative moods, but these criticized feelings can actually direct the thinking process as well as create an equilibrium for emotions. The idea of enduring sadness, fear, and anger may prompt uneasiness, yet negative emotions are just as important

Negative emotions can even aid an individual in developing their moral character. When going through hardships, negativity is clearly visible and can urge a person to become stronger once associated with such havoc. Many people argue that all negative emotions should be eliminated entirely, however, a recent study has shown that “even if we were asymptotically successful at removing depression, anxiety and anger, that would not result in happiness” (Seligman et al. 1379). Therefore, this concept is often misinterpreted due to the fact that the opposition cannot fathom negativity concerning itself with happiness. Sustaining balanced emotions and having a proper thinking process results in an adequate mental health and a prosperous well­being. People believe that feeling sad, scared, worried, or angry are obstacles and that their negative emotions should be neutralized or even eliminated. Negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, neurosis, and more are often belittled and frowned upon, yet these feelings not only make people develop as an individual, but also benefit their lifestyle. Being sad or fearful alerts people to potential threats or danger and how they should react in such a situation. Experiencing negative feelings is also crucial to appreciating pleasure and happiness once it occurs. Although happiness is generally a more desired feeling, negative emotions contain many unknown benefits in which people should begin to actually accept the sadness or anger they experience. After all, the irony of these emotional stereotypes is that happiness can not exist or even be appreciated without negative