Harnessing Negative Emotions for Improved Mental Health.

Recent research suggests that accepting negative emotions as appropriate and healthy, rather than trying to fight or suppress them, can lead to better mental health. People who habitually judge negative feelings as bad or inappropriate have more anxiety and depression symptoms and feel less satisfied with their lives than people who generally perceive their negative emotions in a positive or neutral light. Avoiding or suppressing feelings can be counterproductive and emotional suppression has been linked to an increased risk for mental health problems. Accepting emotions is different from accepting the situations that cause bad emotions and emotional acceptance could make change easier.