A Professor at UoB Stresses the Importance of Smiling in Fighting Negative Thoughts 

Happy People Live Longer 

A Professor at UoB Stresses the Importance of Smiling in Fighting Negative Thoughts 

A professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts at the University of Bahrain (UoB) called for combating negative thoughts by smiling more and spending time with cheerful people, stressing that having too many negative thoughts can cause great damage to psychological and physical health, and may contribute to the failure of emotional, family and professional relationships as well. 

During a lecture in the Psychological Skills Development Program entitled “Methods of Overcoming Negative Feelings towards Others”, Prof. Jehan Issa Al-Omran explained that everyone can enter a cycle of negative thinking, and what is important is that the person’s ability to get out of that cycle and control it before it controls him.” 

Dr. Al-Omran indicated that one of the reasons leading to negative thoughts for some individuals is their feeling of lack of self-confidence, the control of some irrational thoughts over their thinking, focusing on old mistakes, the absence of specific goals in their lives, their presence in a negative environment (with negative people), and their exposure to traumatic events in their lives. In addition to their wrong ways of upbringing, including receiving frequent blame, criticism, punishment, and being compared with others. 

Dr. Al-Omran stated that “People who maintain a genuine smile are happier, less exposed to psychological, health and family problems, and they live longer than frowning people.” Furthermore, she stressed the importance of spending time with people they love and are comfortable with, expressing gratitude to others, and playing one sport at least. 

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