Self Regulation and Control - Research Paper Example

? Self Regulation and Control al Affiliation This paper is a discussion of issues related to positive psychology. Positive psychology is concerned with the well being of individuals and how they can overcome the factors that influence them into negative experiences, which is a barrier to achieving happiness. By working to bring positive experiences and focusing on the positive, individuals can have self control and regulation on their experiences, to increase the positive while reducing the negative ones. Positive psychology uses positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meanings, and achievement techniques to support well being. Certain happiness interventions like gratitude, character strength, 3 good things, reflective past good, and best performances have been empirically validated to enhance happiness and reduce depression. Finally, the paper gives a few recommendations on self-regulation and control. They include seeking appropriate coping mechanisms, engaging in exercises, mindfulness in decision making, and creating positive habits. Keywords: Happiness, Well Being, Interventions, Positive Psychology, Positive and Negative Experiences, Self Control and Regulation Effectiveness of Five Positive Psychology Techniques Positive psychology has over the past proved to be an important field in assessing psychological disorders and assisting patients or individuals to heal, and alleviate the negative aspects that prevent positive experiences. Positive technology can be briefly described as a science of what is needed to achieve a good life, make people happy, or promote their optimal well being. Psychotherapists have used several techniques that encourage the positive experiences for patients in hospital, organizations’ employees, and students in institutions among other places to enable practical changes. Positive emotions, sense of meaning, engagement, achievements, and relationships techniques were proposed by Seligman to achieve the wellbeing and other tangible functional benefits (Schueller & Parks, 2012). Positive emotions strategy helps improve health and coping mechanisms that may affect the social and occupational performances of individuals. They can spur psychological resilience, flexible problem solving, quick recovery from negative emotions activated cardiovascular illnesses, and improved emotion regulation strategies, as indicated by the surveys (Tugade, 2004). People with strong personal relationships with their families and friends can have great satisfaction with life and capacity to cope with stress. It facilitates exchange of information, ideas, and affection through simple acts of gratitude. Through positive engagement, patients’ attention can be enhanced by coming up with ways they can utilize their skills or strengths, identifying their potential, and shaping positive perspectives of how they view their work. Using a sense of meaning motivates people’s association, and belongingness in a group, and helps understand how they feel, or what happened at any moment and why. Examples are through rewarding employees, keeping check of one’s performances periodically, or doing acts of compassion. With achievement technique, the patient’s goals are made clear and this helps in moving towards their attainment with time. Every attainment increases their happiness and motivates them to the next one. It makes them work with optimism in future goals and a plan. In general, positive psychology and its techniques acts to prevent negative experiences in diverse areas, while molding proper characters, attitudes, and behaviors of people into positive experiences. Examine empirically supported Positive Psychology Interventions to Promote Well-being Happiness interventions: Certain activities have been proven to elevate happiness levels once they are introduced into the human life and measured over time. Some can take months, while others can just take minutes to influence similar reactions. Gratitude visit intervention entails appreciating and being thankful. A patient is advised to practice it, because it is more effective and beneficial when spoken out. This can be by writing of letter, calling to say thank you, or visiting others as for the positive impact they have made towards the patient’s life. In an empirical study measuring depression and happiness levels in a sample population, gratitude visits caused large positive experiences within a month. Writing three good things and their explanation each day and using character strength were recorded to increase happiness and reduce depression in a period of six months, while activities like reflection of when they were at their best and having early memories every night for one week made positive, but temporary effect on happiness and depressive symptoms (Seligman et al, 2005). Patients or individuals can take one step at a time to reflect on past experiences of positive thoughts, when they did a good thing, or archived the extraordinary, and what positive incidence then occurred, in order to minimize depressions or worry at the present time. People suffering with depression can archive some form of happiness through these interventions, but the rate may vary. Five Recommendations for Self-Regulation and Control Create new positive habits: Majority of the negative experiences within people’s lives came to be because certain activities were not managed or controlled effectively. By creating new positive habits, individuals develop discipline in sustaining that which they limit themselves to. For example in controlling weight gain and living healthy; if the plan is to have 2 glasses of juice per day, it becomes the rule and adopted behavior that generates positive feeling towards an individual and ability to self regulate factors that deprive and influence their happiness. Mindfulness for decision making: It would be wise for individuals to pay attention and take a moment to rethink the decision they are about to take, it enables them to enhance their awareness of their situation, the demand they pose, and the ramifications. Engage in exercises: They enhance the overall well-being of people; that is, their physical and psychological health, allowing them to make informed decisions in a fresh and active mind. Engage in psychotherapies or counseling in preparations for transition and learn how to handle and control certain habits in specific circumstances. Seek coping mechanisms to persistent problems. Strategize which problem to avoid and how to lead a good life. Problems like drinking can be replaced by other chosen and preferred activities. Reference List Schueller, S. M. and Parks, A.C. (2012). Disseminating Self Help: Positive psychology Exercises in an Online Trial. Retrieved from http://www.jmir.org/2012/3/e63/ Seligman, M.E.P., Steen, T.A., and Peterson, C. (2005, April 22). Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions. Retrieved from http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/articleseligman.pdf Tugade, M.M., Fredrickson, B.L. and Barrett, L.F. Psychological Resilience and Positive Emotional Granularity: Examining the Benefits of Positive Emotions on Coping and Health. J Pers 72 (6): (2004 December) 1161-1190. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1201429/ Read More