472 ChapTER 13 Emotion, Stress, and Health
reappraisal. Reappraisal can turn anger into sym
pathy, worry into determination, and feelings of
loss into feelings of opportunity. Maybe that job
you lost was dismal but you were too afraid to quit
and look for another; now you can. Reappraisal
improves wellbeing and softens negative emo
tions (Denson, Spanovic, & Miller, 2009; Gross
& John, 2003; Moskowitz et al., 2009). You can
even reappraise the physiological signals of stress,
for example by interpreting that elevated heart
rate not as troubling or dangerous or a sign of
“nervousness” but as giving you a burst of energy
that will help you boost performance (Jamieson,
Mendes, & Nock, 2013).2
Learning from the experience. Some people
emerge from adversity with newly acquired
skills, having been forced to learn something they
had not known before, such as how to cope with
the medical system or how to manage a deceased
parent’s estate. Others discover sources of cour
age and strength they did not know they had. In
fact, having a history of some experiences with
loss, hardship, illness, or other stressors actually
predicts better health outcomes over the years
than having a life with no adversity (Davis, Nolen
Hoeksema, & Larson, 1998; Seery, 2011). Facing
life’s stresses head on gives people the skills of
mastery and control, which are keys to wellbeing
and knowing how to cope with further problems.3
Making social comparisons. In a difficult situ
ation, successful copers often compare them
selves to others who they feel are less fortunate.
Even if they have fatal diseases, they find someone
who is worse off (Taylor & Lobel, 1989; Wood,
Michela, & Giordano, 2000). Sometimes success
ful copers also compare themselves to those who
are doing better than they are (Collins, 1996).
They might say, “She and I have the same kinds of
problems; how come she’s doing so much better
in school than I am? What does she know that I
don’t?” Such comparisons provide a person with
information about ways of coping, managing an
illness, or improving a stressful situation (Suls,
Martin, & Wheeler, 2002).Drawing on Social Support LO 13.18
A final way to deal with negative emotions and
stress is to reach out to others. Your health
depends not only on what is going on in your
body and mind but also on what is going on in
your relationships—the extent of social support
that you have. Being involved in social networks
and a close community is one of the most pow
erful predictors of having a long and healthy
life (Friedman & Martin, 2011). People who areroom, with only a vague memory of the crash,
she learned that her husband and friend had been
killed and that she herself had permanent injury to
the spine and would never walk again.
How in the world does anyone recover from
such a devastating event? Some people advise
survivors of disaster or tragedy to “get it out of
your system” or to “get in touch with your feel
ings.” But survivors know they feel miserable.
What should they do? This question gets to the
heart of the difference between emotion-focused
and problem-focused coping (Lazarus, 2000; Lazarus
& Folkman, 1984). Emotionfocused coping con
centrates on the emotions the problem has caused,
whether anger, anxiety, or grief. For a period of
time after any tragedy or disaster, it is normal to
give in to these emotions and feel overwhelmed by
them. In this stage, people often need to talk con
stantly about the event, which helps them come to
terms with it, make sense of it, and decide what to
do about it (Lepore, Ragan, & Jones, 2000).
Eventually, however, most people become
ready to concentrate on solving the problem itself.
The specific steps in problemfocused coping
depend on the nature of the problem: whether it
is a pressing but onetime decision; a continuing
difficulty, such as living with a disability; or an
anticipated event, such as having an operation.
Once the problem is identified, the coper can
learn as much as possible about it from profes
sionals, friends, books, and others in the same
predicament (Clarke & Evans, 1998). Becoming
informed increases the feeling of control and can
speed recovery (Doering et al., 2000). But be wary
of bad information, which is as prevalent on the
Internet as is the helpful kind.
As for Simi Linton, she learned how to do
just about everything in her wheelchair (includ
ing dancing!), and she went back to school.
She got a Ph.D. in psychology, remarried, and
became a highly respected teacher, counselor,
writer, and activist committed to improving
conditions and opportunities for people with dis
abilities (Linton, 2006).Rethinking the Problem LO 13.17
Some problems are unavoidable facts of life, such
as developing a chronic illness, losing a job, or
having an alcoholic or mentally ill parent. Now
what? Health psychologists have identified three
effective cognitive coping methods:1
Reappraising the situation. Although you may
not be able to get rid of a stressor, you can
choose to think about it differently. We have
seen how appraisals can generate emotions and
how those emotions can be changed through