Chapter 12. Psychological Well-Being
Imagine it’s the last month of the semester and you see the deadlines piling up: three essays due in the next four weeks, two exams worth 60% of your grade, and a last quiz right before exam session. How are you feeling? Most likely, you and many other students in this situation would feel overwhelmed, tired, and frustrated. These emotions can be summarized by saying that you feel stressed. Stress is a daily part of life, as much as you might not want it to be. However, not all stress is negative and unhealthy (distress). Some of it is motivating and energizing (eustress). The first half of this chapter will introduce you to stress, coping strategies, and a branch of psychology that focuses on your health. Now, imagine that your stress has been dealt with in a healthy and adaptive way and the semester is finally over. You can meet up with your friends, watch the shows you’ve been putting off, and take a vacation. How are you feeling now? I’d bet that you’re feeling happiness in some way or another. Happiness has many definitions and can be obtained in many ways, but overall, it involves enjoyment, satisfaction, and an absence of essays and exams to worry about! While a lot of branches of psychology focus on the negative aspects of life and personality, positive psychology focuses on what makes you feel good and how to reach your own optimal definition of happiness. The second half of this chapter will cover the elements of happiness, positive psychology, and the negativity bias.
