Harnessing the Power of 'If'

"Unlike humans, most animals experience a fight-or-flight response when faced with a stressor but immediately return to their resting state when the danger abates. In contrast, humans spend significant amounts of time replaying what happened, assessing the choices they made, and worrying about future threats and challenges."

"Counterfactual regret occurs when we dwell on the ways we wish things had gone, which can generate regret and sadness. Such "if only" thoughts make it difficult to accept reality and move on, and blaming ourselves can result in depression, prolonged grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder."

"Preventive coping involves focusing on trying to anticipate and prepare for possible threats by formulating "what if" thoughts to avoid or manage the things that come our way."

Humans possess a unique ability to ruminate about past experiences and anticipate future threats, unlike most animals that return to a resting state after stressors pass. This rumination falls into three categories centered on conditional thinking. Counterfactual regret involves dwelling on alternative outcomes and "if only" thoughts, which can generate regret, sadness, and mental health issues like depression and PTSD. Preventive coping focuses on anticipating and preparing for potential threats through "what if" thinking. Proactive coping views future challenges as opportunities for personal growth rather than threats to be feared.

Read at Psychology Today