Being sad can be good for you
By Katherine Chatfield
Even negative moods serve a useful purpose. The emphasis we place on wanting to be happy all the time is misdirected and could even be damaging.
When Bobby McFerrin sang it back in the 1980s it was on everybody’s lips: “Don’t worry, be happy.”
But being happy all the time might not be so good for us after all. Although we’re often told of the benefits of being positive and upbeat, it appears there could also be plenty of plus points to feeling sad.
People who are down in the dumps are more attentive to their surroundings and less gullible than people who are happy, a University of New South Wales study found. The study also revealed that people who are feeling sad produce more effective and persuasive arguments than those in a positive frame of mind.
“People in a negative mood recall better memories, are better at detecting deception and are less likely to make judgmental errors,” says study author Professor Joe Forgas.
“The study also revealed that sad people were more successful at communicating their thoughts than those in a good mood, less likely to believe urban myths and rumours and less likely to make decisions about someone purely based on their appearance.”
Read the full article: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/soul+happiness/wellbeing/being+sad+can+be+good+for+you,7379
