Essay Example on Positive Psychology: Enhancing Life & Moving It to Great Heights

Introduction

Positive psychology is a scientific study of things, objects, and feelings that make life worth living. Also, since positive psychology is the approach studying behavior, thoughts, and feeling, individuals concentrate on the strengths, developing a good life and moving the lives of average people to great heights (Slade, 2010). Positive psychology focuses on the positive influences and events in life, which include positive traits and states, positive experiences such as inspiration, happiness, and positive institutions. Positive psychology allows individuals to appreciate life, view life with optimism, and promotes forgiveness among people. In healthcare facilities, improving health requires the prevention of disability, diseases, impairment, and the promotion of quality health. In the past, the values that facilitated illness prevention and mental health promotion were more under-appreciated than physical health. Assessments and psychotherapy developed through solutions that reduced anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress. The positive psychology interventions are divided into savoring responses, kindness boosters, gratitude, empathy, strength building measures, and optimistic interventions. For example, promising interventions tend to establish positive results as they set realistic interventions. Therefore, since positive psychology plays vital roles in different workplaces, this paper will discuss the positive psychology in primary prevention and enhancement in mental health.

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The relationship between Positive Experiences, Positive Traits, and Optimal Human Functioning

Since positive psychology developed on the belief that individuals have led a fulfilling and meaningful life, it focuses on the positive individual traits, emotions, and positive institutions (Slade, 2010). The positive emotions among individuals build their intellectual, physical, and social abilities. Whenever people broaden their awareness and thought-action, they tend to look for flexible and creative ways of acting and thinking. Understanding the positive traits involves the study of virtues and strengths such as courage, resilience, compassion, moderation, integrity, love, and work. The positive experiences tend to promote better relationships among individuals, such as leadership, justice, responsibility, purpose, and families. Therefore, through the utilization of optimal human functioning, positive experiences and traits, individuals can focus on things that bring the best out of their lives, thus living a meaningful life.

Potential Uses of Positive Psychology Principles in Primary Prevention and Enhancement in Mental Health

The savoring interventions that focus on specific experiences, thus aiming to promote a person's happiness, end up being used in prevention and enhancement in mental health. The savoring interventions encourage people to acquire the little aspects of sensory, physical, emotional, and social experiences. The savoring interventions are used for the treatment of mood disorders and depression as they end up producing self-satisfaction and happiness. Also, through the strength-building measures interventions, the psychologists can create acknowledgment and awareness that helps in minimizing the depression symptoms (Schrank, Brownell, Tylee & Slade, 2014). Utilizing strength-building interventions promotes self-contentment among individuals. Therefore, through the use of strength building and savoring interventions, medical practitioners and psychologists can improve prevention and the enhancement of mental health among individuals.

Application of the Positive Psychology Concepts

Psychologists tend to use the positive psychology concepts in coaching as it increases an individual's experience of having positive emotions. These concepts help one in the identification and development of their talents and strengths in life. Since positive psychology concepts enhance strength identification, people can set their goals and strive to achieve them. The positive emotions help an individual to enjoy themselves as these emotions boost a persons' well-being (Pluskota, 2014). Also, the concept of engagement among people helps them to concentrate and develop an interest in the things they conduct. Therefore, as people interact with others in their workplaces, they end up building vital relationships with others, thus making them flourish.

Flourishing is a concept that refers to a state when individuals pay attention to the aspects PERMA (Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Achievement) models, helps in building a sense of well-being among people. Individuals flourish whenever they cultivate their strengths and talents, thus developing meaningful and deep relationships with others (Pluskota, 2014). Also, people flourish if they acquire fulfillment in life after achieving their goals and objectives that are related to success. In the promotion of mental health, every individual is encouraged, thus having a positive mind that everyone can flourish.

The concept of flow states that individuals fall into a state of great concentration and intense focus on a specific task. The flow experience is characterized by becoming completely present in their actions and having a sense of control in their situations. Also, the concept of flow allows individuals to experience specific activities as being internally rewarding. People who get into a state of flow, they become immersed whenever the challenges towards an event before them are equal to the skills ability of the activity (Pluskota, 2014). Therefore, whenever individuals enter into a rewarding flow, the flow also connects people to greater well-being and happiness.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Positive Psychology Applications in Primary Prevention and Enhancement in Mental Health

Positive psychology experiences the cross-cultural issues as it is not aware of the cultural context, thus overlooking that activities conducted by humans are culture-bound. Through this context, individuals tend to utilize the American set of values and ideals that are centered on one's fulfillment and autonomy. The culture of the American States permeates with the idea that the positive attitudes, emotions, and thoughts are the primary goals of a good life (Ben, 2011). Therefore, there exists research that connects optimism and positivity with longevity and health regardless of the cross-cultural research exist the questions if a positive attitude is required for a sense of an individual's well-being.

The positive psychology considers superiority over the humanistic strategy due to increased research-based and scientific approach. Humanistic psychology tends to be annoyed at the Seligman's spurning regarding the contribution towards positive psychology (Ben, 2011). The disadvantage of this approach is the alienation of various sections of the humanistic psychology society and its audience. Also, other individuals might join with research either contributing towards it, relaxed or from a great negative perspective, thus disapproving the positive psychology (Ben, 2011). The positive psychology is accused of similar definition issues as pathology-based psychology and traditional, thus implying the simple dichotomy.

Individuals who are always happy develop a positive outlook towards life and for themselves. People enjoy being rewarded or complimented on their excellent work as it makes them fulfilling and joyful. The primary goal of positive psychology is to find a method or reason used to make a person happy, thus fulfilling their desires (Ben, 2011). Also, positive self-statements tends to increase positive thinking and one's happiness. The positive statements tend to make people improve their self-esteem. Therefore, positive psychology in making individuals with low self-esteem to increase it.

Conclusions

Positive psychology plays a vital role in an individual. Many concepts and principles have emerged to try and explain positive psychology. Through the principles of positive psychology, individuals learned its pros and cons. For example, positive psychology is the approach studying behavior, thoughts, and feeling; individuals concentrate on the strengths, developing a good life and moving the lives of average people to great heights. Positive psychology developed on the belief that individuals have led a fulfilling and meaningful life; it focuses on positive individual traits, emotions, and positive institutions. Positive psychology is utilized in mental, thus reducing depression among the clients. Therefore, all the conducted research proved the significance of happiness and how helpful it is to the environment and individuals surrounding others.

References

Ben. J. (2011). The merits and shortcomings of positive psychology. Retrieved from http://criticalscience.com/positive-psychology-merits-shortcomings/

Pluskota, A. (2014). The application of positive psychology in the practice of education. SpringerPlus, 3(1), 147. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4002998/

Schrank, B., Brownell, T., Tylee, A., & Slade, M. (2014). Positive psychology: An approach to supporting recovery in mental illness. East Asian Archives of Psychiatry, 24(3), 95. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Beate_Schrank/publication/266945987_Positive_psychology_An_approach_to_supporting_recovery_in_mental_illness/links/564ba58508ae3374e5ddc9ba/Positive-psychology-An-approach-to-supporting-recovery-in-mental-illness.pdf

Slade, M. (2010). Mental illness and well-being: the central importance of positive psychology and recovery approaches. BMC health services research, 10(1), 26. Retrieved from https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6963-10-26