8 Year Study Reveals that Optimists Live Longer, Healthier than Pessimists - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 03-06-2009, 08:46 PM

Link

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Optimists live longer, healthier lives than pessimists, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a study that may give pessimists one more reason to grumble.

Researchers at University of Pittsburgh looked at rates of death and chronic health conditions among participants of the Women's Health Initiative study, which has followed more than 100,000 women ages 50 and over since 1994.

Women who were optimistic -- those who expect good rather than bad things to happen -- were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause than pessimists and 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease after eight years of follow up in the study.

Optimists also were also less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes or smoke cigarettes.

The team, led Dr. Hilary Tindle, also looked at women who were highly mistrustful of other people -- a group they called "cynically hostile" -- and compared them with women who were more trusting.

Women in the cynically hostile group tended to agree with questions such as: "I've often had to take orders from someone who didn't know as much as I did" or "It's safest to trust nobody," Tindle said in a telephone interview.

"These questions prove a general mistrust of people," said Tindle, who presented her study Thursday at the American Psychosomatic Society's annual meeting in Chicago.

That kind of thinking takes a toll.

"Cynically hostile women were 16 percent more likely to die (during the study period) compared to women who were the least cynically hostile," Tindle said.

They were also 23 percent more likely to die from cancer.

Tindle said the study does not prove negative attitudes cause negative health effects, but she said the findings do appear to be linked in some way.

"I think we really need more research to design therapies that will target people's attitudes to see if they can be modified and if that modification is beneficial to health," she said.

And she said while a pessimist might think, "'I'm doomed. There is nothing I can do,' I'm not sure that's true," Tindle said. "We just don't know."

(Editing by Maggie Fox)

catlover79 · 03-06-2009, 10:27 PM

Another thing for the pessimists to worry about!!

Marvo301 · 03-06-2009, 10:43 PM

Does this mean if your glass is half empty you will die sooner than people whose glass is half full?

catlover79 · 03-06-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

Does this mean if your glass is half empty you will die sooner than people whose glass is half full?

I think that's the whole study in a nutshell!!

MickeyMac · 03-07-2009, 02:18 PM

What if you are neither an optimist or a pessimist like me, where do you fit in?

catlover79 · 03-07-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

What if you are neither an optimist or a pessimist like me, where do you fit in?

I guess you just live half the time of a pessimist!

MickeyMac · 03-07-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I guess you just live half the time of a pessimist!

Nah I just live by faith

catlover79 · 03-07-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Nah I just live by faith

Amen!

Marvo301 · 03-07-2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Nah I just live by faith

"We live by faith, not by sight." 2Corinthians5:7

Chocoholic · 03-07-2009, 07:59 PM

Maybe it just seems longer...

Zoneboy · 03-07-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

Does this mean if your glass is half empty you will die sooner than people whose glass is half full?

I've never thought much about that. The way I see it is this, If I pour a glass of drink and stop half-way then it's half-full. If I fill-up the glass and drink half of it then it's half-empty.

Chocoholic · 03-07-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I've never thought much about that. The way I see it is this, If I pour a glass of drink and stop half-way then it's half-full. If I fill-up the glass and drink half of it then it's half-empty.

I just want to know who the heck keeps drinking my coffee!

catlover79 · 03-07-2009, 08:35 PM

I love this thread!

Zoneboy · 03-07-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocoholic

I just want to know who the heck keeps drinking my coffee!

Chocoholic · 03-07-2009, 09:47 PM

I love Garfield.

03-06-2009, 08:46 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,381	8 Year Study Reveals that Optimists Live Longer, Healthier than Pessimists Link CHICAGO (Reuters) - Optimists live longer, healthier lives than pessimists, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a study that may give pessimists one more reason to grumble. Researchers at University of Pittsburgh looked at rates of death and chronic health conditions among participants of the Women's Health Initiative study, which has followed more than 100,000 women ages 50 and over since 1994. Women who were optimistic -- those who expect good rather than bad things to happen -- were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause than pessimists and 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease after eight years of follow up in the study. Optimists also were also less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes or smoke cigarettes. The team, led Dr. Hilary Tindle, also looked at women who were highly mistrustful of other people -- a group they called "cynically hostile" -- and compared them with women who were more trusting. Women in the cynically hostile group tended to agree with questions such as: "I've often had to take orders from someone who didn't know as much as I did" or "It's safest to trust nobody," Tindle said in a telephone interview. "These questions prove a general mistrust of people," said Tindle, who presented her study Thursday at the American Psychosomatic Society's annual meeting in Chicago. That kind of thinking takes a toll. "Cynically hostile women were 16 percent more likely to die (during the study period) compared to women who were the least cynically hostile," Tindle said. They were also 23 percent more likely to die from cancer. Tindle said the study does not prove negative attitudes cause negative health effects, but she said the findings do appear to be linked in some way. "I think we really need more research to design therapies that will target people's attitudes to see if they can be modified and if that modification is beneficial to health," she said. And she said while a pessimist might think, "'I'm doomed. There is nothing I can do,' I'm not sure that's true," Tindle said. "We just don't know." (Editing by Maggie Fox)

03-06-2009, 10:27 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Another thing for the pessimists to worry about!!
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

03-06-2009, 10:43 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	Does this mean if your glass is half empty you will die sooner than people whose glass is half full?
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

03-07-2009, 02:18 PM	#5
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	What if you are neither an optimist or a pessimist like me, where do you fit in?

03-07-2009, 07:59 PM	#10
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	Maybe it just seems longer...

03-07-2009, 08:35 PM	#13
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I love this thread!

03-07-2009, 09:47 PM	#15
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	I love Garfield.