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Pessimists live longer, sigh.


Scanty Demon

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Victory for Victor Meldrew, as pessimistic people 'live longer'

It may be an unfamiliar concept to them, but the Victor Meldrews of the world finally have

something to rejoice about.

 

Richard Wilson as Victor Meldrew in One Foot in the Grave Photo: BBC

By Hannah Furness

10:00PM GMT 27 Feb 2013

 

Older people blighted by pessimism and fear for the future are more likely to live longer, according

to scientists.

 

A study, into 40,000 adults across ten years, has found those with low expectations for a “satisfying

future” actually led healthier lives.

 

In contrast, people who were “overly optimistic” about the days ahead had a greater risk of disability

or death within ten years.

 

The extraordinary research, published by the American Psychological Association, will not doubt

prove comfort to anyone with a tendency to grumpiness.

 

Frieder R. Lang, lead author of the study from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany,

said: “Our findings revealed that being overly optimistic in predicting a better future was associated

with a greater risk of disability and death within the following decade.

 

"Pessimism about the future may encourage people to live more carefully, taking health and safety

precautions."

 

The research, based on data collected between 1993 and 2003, asked 40,000 respondents to rate how

satisfied they believed they would be in five years time.

 

They were interviewed again five years later, and their satisfaction levels compared with their own

predictions.

 

Those who overestimated how happy they would be were found to have a 9.5 per cent increase in

reporting disabilities, and a ten per cent high risk of death.

 

Older people, who tended to have a “darker outlook” on the future, were shown to be the most

accurate in their predictions, with optimistic youngsters overestimating their success.

 

"Unexpectedly, we also found that stable and good health and income were associated with expecting a

greater decline compared with those in poor health or with low incomes," said Dr Lang.

 

"Moreover, we found that higher income was related to a greater risk of disability.

"We argue, though, that the outcomes of optimistic, accurate or pessimistic forecasts may depend on

age and available resources.

 

"These findings shed new light on how our perspectives can either help or hinder us in taking actions

that can help improve our chances of a long healthy life."

 

Of those interviewed, 43 percent of the oldest group were found to have underestimated their future

life satisfaction, 25 percent had predicted accurately and 32 percent had overestimated, according to

the study

 

Research published last year by the Office for National Statistics found most people are now living

six years longer than current life expectancy projections, with no sign of an upper age limit.

 

Previous studies have suggested that “unrealistic optimism” about the future can help people feel

better while facing inevitable negative outcomes, such as terminal disease.

 

Another, published in 2009, noted that a positive outlook depended largely on where one lives, with

those in London being the grumpiest and those in the countryside being the most relaxed

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You have to wonder if part of it has to do with being more accepting toward death. An optimist who thinks the world is improving probably would think it would go on fine without them. Someone who feels that the world's heading in the wrong direction might feel that they're part of a shrinking minority of people who still espouse old-world values, so despite their fear of the future they might try to do whatever they could to extend their time on earth..

That, or it's a random correlation. But I can't help but feel that the issue is more one of choice than of psychological effects on health.

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All I gotta say is I'd much rather live for a short time with a positive outlook than linger in this world with grim confidence that it's rapidly falling apart around me.

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I thought laughter was the best medicine? =/ I have too agree, I'd much rather be optimistic and cheerful then pessimistic any day. Plus those figures are a little sketchy.

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The pessimists are more likely to live longer because they work harder at improving the world. Whereas optimists deceive themselves about the state of the world and do nothing.

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