Why ignoring negative emotions can backfire
Why ignoring negative emotions can backfire
Dr. Sue Varma joins “CBS Mornings” to explore the balance between healthy optimism and the harmful effects of emotional avoidance.
Read the full article on CBS US
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article's central claim, that ignoring negative emotions can backfire, is well-supported by the provided sources. The article appears to be mostly objective, presenting a common viewpoint in psychology. There's a slight positive slant towards acknowledging negative emotions.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim: Ignoring negative emotions can backfire.
- Verification Source #1: People who ignore or push away negative emotions are likely to experience disruptions in their life.
- Verification Source #2: Attempting to suppress thoughts can backfire and even diminish our sense of contentment.
- Verification Source #3: Suppressing emotions can backfire and even diminish our sense of contentment.
- Verification Source #4: Suppressing emotions is commonly known to be a coping-strategy that can backfire later.
- Assessment: Supported
- Claim: There is a balance between healthy optimism and the harmful effects of emotional avoidance.
- Verification Source #1: Addresses how too much positivity can backfire.
- Verification Source #5: Discusses how swallowing positivity was believed to be the best way to deal with negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions, but the author no longer believes this.
- Assessment: Supported
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Source 2: “attempting to suppress thoughts can backfire and even diminish our sense of contentment”.
- Source 1: people who only look at their positive emotions and tend to ignore or push away the negative ones are likely to experience disruptions in their life.
