Maintaining a Positive Emotional Outlook with Heart Disease

1. Jamie Jackson, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Researcher Center for Biobehavioral Health & The Heart Center Maintaining a Positive Emotional Outlook with Heart Disease

2. Overview • Why do our emotions matter? • Thoughts, emotions, and physiology are connected • What does the research say? • Optimism • Denial • What can we do to stay positive? • Strategies and ways to implement them

3. Why do emotions matter?

4. Emotions as part of a system • Emotions don’t happen in isolation: Physiology Emotions Thoughts

5. Situation: Being cut off while driving * Blood pressure * Heart rate Physiology Emotions Thoughts “What a jerk!!”

6. Situation: Being cut off while driving * Blood pressure * Heart rate Physiology Emotions Thoughts “He might have had an emergency.”

7. What does research say about positive emotions?

8. Optimism • op∙ti∙mism* • An inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome • Optimism has been shown to stay consistent throughout many years of a person’s life (a personality trait) *Merriam-Webster Dictionary

9. Optimism and heart disease Faster recovery from CABG surgery Optimism Better results from cardiac rehab Less depressive symptoms 1-year after heart attack

10. How does optimism help? • People higher in optimism show less physiological signs of stress during stressful situations • Why? • Interpretation of the world • Optimism = less likely to interpret threat or malice • Consequence: body is less likely to be reactive

11. Is denial the same as optimism? NO • Denial is the avoidance of experiencing negative emotions • This may include unrealistic views of the world • Benefits of denial in the short-term • May result in failure to change in the long-term

12. Denial vs. Optimism Denial Optimism Avoidance of negative emotions Anticipating best possible outcomes Unrealistic view of the world Positive but realistic perspective Discourages positive health behavior changes Promotes positive health behavior changes

13. Goal is to… • Be realistic. • Hope for the best while making strides to improve the situation.

14. What can we do to stay positive?

15. Emotions as visitors • Negative emotions, like all guests, should be greeted • Welcome it in (acknowledge it) • Then invite it to leave when you are ready • Our thoughts serve as invitations for emotions to either stick around or “hit the road”

16. Watch the thoughts • Thought distortions can rekindle negative emotions • All or nothing thinking • Mindreading • Catastrophizing • Thought distortion kryptonite: realism • Be the scientist and examine the evidence • How likely is this going to happen?

17. “Sad Songs (Say So Much)” • Emotions want to stick around and can compel us to listen to music that fits our mood • Try doing the opposite…listen to something upbeat and positive • Same goes for movies or the type of people you gravitate towards

18. Communication is key • Research suggests that emotional expression is associated with better quality of life • Talk to someone • Journaling • Counseling

19. The power of hobbies • “Get a hobby” – actually, that’s good advice • Doing what you like helps boosts positive mood • Improves mild to moderate symptoms of depression • Schedule in time for you • Extra-long hot bath, reading before bedtime, taking the dog for a walk

20. Relaxation • “Just relax” – yet another great suggestion… But, how? • Ways to teach relaxation to your body: • Deep breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) • Guided imagery and meditation • Progressive muscle relaxation

21. Exercise (a good stress) • Promotes cardiac health and physiological relaxation • Improves mood • Research has also found this among patients in cardiac rehab!

22. Take-Home Message Strive to be realistic about the situation, while hoping for the best Acknowledge negative emotions, but invite them to leave Be mindful, scientific, and physically engaged

23. Thank you!