Those who haven’t struggled with any form of mental illness find it difficult to understand the rigidity of highly negative, and even obviously false, beliefs. They wonder how it’s possible that ...

“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute.” —G.B. Stern As a psychotherapist who believes in the power of positive ...

Defensive pessimism – a strategy of setting low expectations for an anxiety-provoking event – has been shown to help prepare people in various situations. WSJ's Sumathi Reddy and Dr. Dilip Jeste join ...

It’s no secret that optimism has become the defining characteristic of our time. You’ve probably heard the pep talks: “Just stay positive!” or “Visualize success!” It’s practically a cultural reflex ...

How Strategic Pessimism Builds Resilience in Risk Management and Life. For decades, the business and self-help worlds have been flooded with the gospel of positive thinking. We’re told to “stay ...

DEFENSE Retreat from Pessimism “The plain fact is,” growled Texas Democrat George H. Mahon, as his House subcommittee on defense appropriations began emergency hearings last week on the status of U.S.