Poster Presentation 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology 2019

The Positive Power Of Sadness (#621)

Ron Johnson 1 , Deb Brock 1
  1. Midlands Psychological Associates, Lodi, WI, United States

This presentation will focus on the value of sadness in all its forms. Sadness is perceived as an essential emotion in human experience and relationships, the last to be developed in childhood, and ultimately the most important of all emotions in that everything that is loved or otherwise valued is ultimately lost. A paradigm of the four basic feelings, all erupting from valuing and loving is presented with sadness and joy related to something that is loved and lost in the present, anger and fear being emotions that serve as defense at having lost something in the past or potentially losing something in the future. Recognizing, understanding, accepting, and communicating sadness can prevent and cure anxiety, anger, and depression. Sadness, anxiety, anger, and depression are perceived as "love problems": sadness: lost something loved; anxiety: fear of losing something loved; anger: having lost something loved; depression: having lost many things loved. Resolution of anger, anxiety, and depression is perceiving the love factor and then allowing current, past, or potential future losses to be experienced in the present.