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Optimism Directory
A positive attitude does more than just improve your mood. Optimism is healing. Optimism may help you to be resilient, healthy, and help you to connect with others. Having a hard time staying positive? Start with simple steps: meditate, focus on the positive things in any negative situation and write down what you think of. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about how optimism helps you physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Medical Reference
What Are the Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder?
Find out how cognitive behavioral therapy and medications like antidepressants can help treat symptoms of social anxiety disorder.
Positive Thinking: What It Is, What It’s Not, and How to Do It
Positive thinking can improve your mental and physical health in many ways. With a few simple practices, anyone can make positive thinking a habit.
Features
Optimists Rule!
Why? Candidates with positive outlooks almost always win U.S. presidential elections, says a team of researchers. So, who's going to win this time?
Negative Ions Create Positive Vibes
There's something in the air that just may boost your mood -- get a whiff of negative ions.
Living on the Sunny Side
Optimists often are more successful and live longer, researchers say. Here's how to cultivate a brighter outlook.
Kindness Is Contagious
A leading 'positive psychologist' is working to prove that kindness is catching. Witnessing good deeds physically inspires the viewer to model that behavior, he says, a finding that can -- and should -- be applied to childrearing and education.
Video
The Humor Connection
Peter McGraw, PhD, humor expert, studies comedians to learn what people find funny, and discusses humor as a force for social connection.
Brain Training
Learn about how brain training may help with cognitive development in children and adults.
Losing Weight and Keeping It Off
An expert discusses diet, exercise, mental preparation, and rapid weight loss.
Slideshows & Images
Quizzes
Test Your Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ)
How happy are you? Test your emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) with a happiness quiz from WebMD.
Myths and Facts About Your Moods
Shake the blues with this quiz about your moods.
Stress Test
Insomnia. Headaches. Stress affects your health in many ways. See how much you know about stress, who gets it, and how to beat it with our quiz.
Good Deeds and Your Health
Giving isn’t just good for your soul. It’s good for your body, too. Test your knowledge about what giving back can do for you.