Attitude for the scholar in you

William James, a pioneer in the field of psychology, once wrote, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”

The study of psychobiology, which has received more attention in recent years, scientifically examines the influence of our attitudes on our lives. Over the last 20 years, researchers have developed new and innovative ways to study the mind-body connection. Dr. Dennis Charney, one of the most prominent psychobiologists, pried into this field of study by examining war veterans. Charney’s work aims to understand what psychological and biological factors characterize soldiers who endure the trauma of battle and afterward, recover mentally and physically. He compares war veterans who are healthy and successfully functioning in life to those who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are struggling to function. Charney defines the veterans who’ve adapted in the face of extreme stress or adversity as stress-resilient and those who have been diagnosed with PTSD as stress-vulnerable.

Among many intriguing findings, Charney’s research has identified a number of relevant character traits that seem to differentiate resilient from vulnerable people. From his earlier work at the NIMH and later work at Mt. Sinai in NYC, his research group has revealed a set of attitudes and behaviors that can help maintain well-being during stress. The following list was adapted from a review written by Charney and his colleagues in 2007 (to learn more, click here).

Anyone can see from this list that our attitudes matter. They greatly impact our well-being and ability to function and grow during adverse times. If you have a poor attitude, however, do not fear. From Charney’s work, it is clear that people can learn to embrace and cultivate positive, flexible, and constructive attitudes towards life. Start now. Changing your mind will change your life.

by Kevin Bickart

e: kbickart@goibelieve.com

t: kbickart

fb: Kevin Bickart

Kevin is an MD/PhD student at Boston University studying the Neurobiology of Belief.