How to deal with a negative person according to psychology

Although in most cases it's not a textbook psychological disorder, having a negative person around you—one who constantly criticizes , sees only the bad in others, is ungrateful , and pessimistic by nature—is beyond unpleasant. They could even infect us with their negativity.

If you witness this situation, psychology experts at the European Institute of Positive Psychology (IEPP) share a series of guidelines to help that person see the "light" and the positive side of life. Of course, it involves " an exercise in patience, perseverance, and empathy that can have positive results. In many cases, the negative person is not fully aware of their attitude."

These are the common characteristics of negative people

To begin to understand this behavior, which doesn't amount to a disorder as such, experts clarify that negativity could be a risk factor for suffering from depression. The way these people relate to the world and to themselves has several common points.

Negative people's attention focuses on what isn't working , on the problems, instead of appreciating what's going well. What's more, they revel in anticipating all the bad things yet to come, anticipating negative scenarios that will probably never happen.

Another characteristic of negative profiles is that they criticize others excessively, while they tend to fail to show gratitude because darkness often overlaps light; they see no reason for gratitude . They also dislike change, because they fear that any new development could be negative; they are afraid to experiment and express positive emotions such as joy.

Causes of negative thinking

Among the reasons why these types of people behave this way toward themselves and the world are a lack of awareness of what's going on inside them, as well as poor self-knowledge. They may also have learned these habits in their family environment , so they've jumped on the bandwagon of imitating those patterns.

Another reason could be that negative people receive more attention from those around them, who notice their discomfort and spend more time comforting them, often out of "pity." This situation makes them feel good, cared for, and understood, so they remain in that role.

Having experienced unpleasant or traumatic experiences can turn a person into a negative person, especially as a defense mechanism against suffering . The fear of failure also causes these people to think negatively as a strategy to manage expectations they believe will never be met.

How should we deal with negativity in our environment?

According to psychology, our best bet when dealing with a consistently negative person is to use an extra dose of empathy. Trying to understand the reasons behind this blocked situation is important, allowing the other person to vent and avoiding fueling their defensiveness.

Trying to make them see the negative consequences of their behavior, acting as a mirror , is also a good course of action. The IEPP recommends comments like, "Have you noticed that every time something unexpected happens, you tend to anticipate that it will be harmful or negative? Do you think this helps you stay calm or enjoy the process?"

A kind of positive reinforcement for the things they do well will reinforce what we want to achieve from them: a change in attitude, praising them when appropriate. And all of this, always practicing patience and perseverance, since this is a laborious process with ups and downs that won't be easy. Psychological support will always be the best option to consolidate the results.