How to generate positive affect in situations of chronic stress

Stress is often associated with negative affect, but it has been shown that in situations of chronic stress, positive affect can also appear frequently and that it is not incompatible.

On the other hand, affect can be defined as an emotional state that is central to an experience. It can be divided according to its valence in positive or negative affect; or according to its intensity, in weak or strong affect.

Negative affect includes unpleasant emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, hostility, and guilt. On the other hand, positive affect includes pleasant emotions, such as joviality, kindness, relief, self-confidence, the search for experiences and vitality.

In general, we all have a greater tendency to experience positive or negative affects in the circumstances of our life. This tendency will depend on genetic and learning factors. Despite this, the affects are dynamic and depend on the context, with inter and intrapersonal variability. This opens the door to the possibility of learning new coping strategies.

, which increase the probability of experiencing positive emotions even in situations of chronic stress.

• Related article: "Types of stress and their triggers"

Positive affect in the face of chronic stress

Historically, negative affect has been considered to have an adaptive function when situations appear that exceed our coping resources and they create stress for us. This is so because emotions, such as anxiety or anger, allow us to become aware that there is a problem, focus our attention on it and provide us with energy and motivation to carry out some type of action against said trouble.

Positive affect, in contrast, has been related to reduced attention to problems and decreased motivation to take care of them, by providing a sense of security.

However, studies have found that positive affect, far from what is referred to, broadens our creativity and flexibility, encouraging us to be able to broaden the range of behaviors that we put in place to face stressors. In addition, it helps us process information even when it comes to bad news and allows us to take a break from so much discomfort.

This can be considered adaptive, especially in situations where stress persists over time. Also, it can be a preventive measure for the development of obsessive and / or depressive clinical symptoms.

How can we generate positive affect in situations of chronic stress?

Folkman and Moskowitz (2000) conducted a longitudinal study with caregivers of people with HIV. In it, they identified three types of coping related to the appearance and maintenance of positive affect: positive reinterpretation, goal-oriented coping and the search for meaning in situations everyday.

1. Positive reinterpretation

The positive reinterpretation is a cognitive strategy that is summarized in what is commonly known as "seeing the glass half full" instead of "half empty". It includes the primary assessment of the situation as something that brings some benefit, no matter how small, and the avoidance of comparison with the circumstances of other people.

In addition, it usually goes hand in hand with the activation of personal values. In the case of the caregivers, the effort made was valuable as it was a demonstration of love and in helping to preserve the dignity of the sick people they cared for.

• You may be interested: "The 8 types of emotions (classification and description)"

2. Goal-oriented coping.

This type of coping is active and is directed to specific objectives to solve a specific problem. It may include finding information, making decisions, developing an action plan, the resolution of conflicts, the acquisition of new knowledge or the development of new skills.

Even in situations where the controllability of the course of events is low, such as caregivers, Focusing on specific tasks has been shown to promote positive affect. In particular, it increases the perception of effectiveness and mastery, fostering confidence in one's own resources and skills to cope with the stressor while it lasts, regardless of the outcome final. 3. Give meaning to everyday situations.

"Is there something you did today, or something that happened to you, that made you feel good and had meaning for you and helped you get through the day?" This is one of the questions asked of the caregivers in the study described. 99.5% said yes. Half of the situations described were planned and intentional (for example, making a special meal or meeting friends) and the other half were events that just happened (for example, seeing a pretty flower or receiving a compliment for something less).

The meaning we give to everyday situations It is what shapes the specific emotions we feel every day when we are going through a time of stress. It can be differentiated from the meaning that we can give to our life, which supposes something abstract and is related to beliefs and expectations about ourselves, the world and the future.

Conclusions

Both negative and positive affect play an adaptive role in stressful situations.

Although emotions such as sadness or anger can help us become aware that something is happening and focus our attention on it, emotions Positive emotions also help us to cope with difficult situations, especially when those circumstances persist for a time. dragged on. These are not incompatible emotions, but can occur simultaneously with the same event.

Specifically, positive affect can prevent the appearance of psychopathological symptoms, stimulate our creativity and increase our flexibility and adaptability.

Each one of us, through our experiences, we discover what things help us to face the difficult moments of our life. There are three things that studies suggest we do to generate positive affect while we are going through difficult circumstances or chronic stress strategies: positive reinterpretation, goal-oriented coping and, especially, giving meaning to situations everyday. In psychotherapy processes, the professionals that we support patients we also make use of these principles.

Bibliographic references:

• Folkman, S., & Moskowitz, J. T. (2000). Positive Affect and the Other Side of Coping. American Psychologist, 55 (6), 647-654. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.55.6.647
• Naragon-Gainey, K., McMahon, T. P., & Park, J. (2018). The contributions of affective traits and emotion regulation to internalizing disorders: Current state of the literature
• and measurement challenges. American Psychologist, 73 (9), 1175-1186. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000371