Ah, the cult of Positive Thinking.  Today, I was reading once again how positive thinking will solve all my problems and that all my problems are caused by my negative thoughts.  But it got me thinking–if positive thinking is the cure-all for all your problems, then certainly positive thinking is ALWAYS a good thing.

Or is it?

Could positive thinking hurt you or worse yet–can positive thinking get you killed?

We’ve disovered a few situations where it’s a distinct possibility.

1. Just one more drink (for the road) won’t kill me

For all that’s said about alcohol being a depressant, it sure can turn people into a positive lot.  It’s amazing what a drunk person thinks he or she can do.

Soome things seem like really great ideas when drunk…like driving.

Yeah, it’s a real downer to think you can die when you’re drunk.  Or it’s even a bigger downer to tell your buddy he can’t drive.  Or maybe you have to spend an hour driving someone you don’t even like that much to their house way out on the other side of town because although they positively believe they can drive, you know they’re way too shi#tfaced to do it (you know who you are).

Those are negative things to think about, but thinking otherwise could wind up killing someone.

The Power of Drunk Positive Thinking at Work

2. That light won’t be turning red anytime soon (or I have plenty of time to cross before the train gets there)

I used to watch this really cool PSA on TV where some woman goes on about how she can beat the train and then BAM! She’s toast! It’s a downer.

Yeah…you can positive think that nothing will happen to you, but it’s that kind of positive thinking that’ll get you killed!

He was positively smashed by the train

3. It’s just a little mole…no need to worry about that

No one wants to think they will die.  I know I don’t. But there are many situations where you’d rather just wish that mole wasn’t skin cancer.  Sure, it’s a more positive thought.  But contrary to the outlandish claims on those on the fringe of the positive thinking movement–positive thinking won’t cure cancer.

But ignoring posible health risks by wishing for the best is a recipe for–wait for it–death.

4. My abusive relationship is going to get better.

We really hate to put this here because of the psychological issues involved (and it kind of falls in the pointing out the obvious category), but hoping someone abusing you will change will not make them change.

No positive affirmations will do it.

Leaving the relationship will do it, however.

For all that power of positive thinking stuff, we feel that the whole “taking some serious action” to be a far more effective method for not getting killed.  Just a thought to ponder on this glorious day.