Pessimistic teens have a hard time. They are more likely to develop depression, eating disorders, and general malaise. This type of attitude can negatively affect adolescents for the rest of their lives, if they are not careful. Pessimism is a habit, like any other habit. Therefore, with a little effort, adolescents can change these attitudes. However, if you’re a pessimistic teenager, these words probably won’t really resonate with you. Instead, you’ll want to know more about pessimism. Therefore, I will try to accommodate here, but not without your precautions.
Below I will describe some of the reasons why being a pessimist is not recommended for a truly fulfilling and content life. I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to some of these reasons if you’re a pessimist.
1. Pessimists are always hypercritical of themselves and others. The teen years can be a hypercritical time anyway. However, if you are pessimistic, you are more critical of everything and everyone. You look for things to be wrong and wrong. And most likely, this attitude can become a self-fulfilling prophecy because such an attitude can taint every experience you have.
2. Pessimists always find fault with everything and everyone. Pessimists can’t really look at anyone neutrally and not think there is something wrong with the person or situation. This can really be damaging to a teen’s overall attitude and can infect every one of her experiences.
3. Sometimes pessimists look for reasons to feel bad. Pessimism is like a bad smell in many ways. Once you feel it, it’s hard to get rid of it. There’s something really horrible about looking for the bad and the wrong in everything. Most things are just neutral. And when you look for the negative in everything, you tend to exaggerate everything in favor of that negative emotion, poisoning even the best of experiences. This can lead to a lot of unhappiness.
4. Pessimists have a hard time enjoying anything, even things that are within their control. Pessimists don’t think they should enjoy anything. First of all, they are not used to seeing the good and the positive in anything. But second, they will find something wrong with even the best of experiences. This can really put a damper on any kind of happiness you may feel. Life should be to enjoy not to criticize. Most situations and individuals are just the way they are. When you realize this, you will be able to enjoy things much more without trying to criticize or deny anything. You will simply appreciate what is in front of you. When you do, you will know that you have beaten pessimism. Only then can life return to its wonderful and precious state.