Do We Need Both?
Look back over the list of sample negative emotions. Do you want to feel any of those emotions? You probably don’t, and it’s no wonder! It doesn’t feel good to experience any of those emotions.
Now, refer to the list of sample positive emotions. Have you ever felt one of these emotions and thought to yourself, “I wish I wasn’t experiencing this emotion?” Although you may have experienced this once or twice—generally at a time when we think we shouldn’t feel positive emotions—it’s easy to see that this list is full of pleasurable emotions that people tend to seek out.
We know that we need positive emotions to function effectively, grow, and thrive.
So if it’s basically universally unpleasant for us to experience negative emotions and universally pleasant and desirable to experience positive emotions, do we actually need the negative ones at all?
As it turns out, yes!
Are Negative Emotions Necessary?
Although they are not pleasant to experience, negative emotions really are necessary for a healthy life. This is true for two big reasons:
- Negative emotions give us a counterpoint to positive emotions; without the negative, would the positive emotions still feel as good?
- Negative emotions serve evolutionary purposes, encouraging us to act in ways that boost our chances of survival and help us grow and develop as people.
As Tracy Kennedy from Lifehack.org points out, there is a good reason for each of the basic emotions, both positive and negative:
- Anger: to fight against problems
- Fear: to protect us from danger
- Anticipation: to look forward and plan
- Surprise: to focus on new situations
- Joy: to remind us what’s important
- Sadness: to connect us with those we love
- Trust: to connect with people who help
- Disgust: to reject what is unhealthy (2018)
Without fear, would you be here today? Or would you have engaged in some risky practices, putting yourself in unnecessary danger? Without disgust, would you have been able to refrain from putting any of the many, many harmful substances that you had access to as a toddler?
As unpleasant as they may be, it can’t be denied that negative emotions serve important purposes in our lives.
Is it True that an Individual Will Only Feel Stress in Negative Situations?
Although you may think of stress as a solidly negative emotion or response to a situation, it’s actually quite common for people to experience stress in neutral and positive situations as well.
In fact, many experiences commonly thought of as positive can contribute huge amounts of stress to our lives.
Here are just a few examples of positive experiences that can bring us stress:
- Planning for an upcoming wedding
- Preparing to move to somewhere you are excited to live
- The holidays—especially with family!
- Having a baby
- Starting an exciting new job
It’s perfectly natural to feel stress in all of these situations, even though you would probably classify them as happy and positive. It’s yet another example of the interplay between positive and negative that gives our lives balance.
What our readers think
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