Do you really know｜抱怨对心理健康有好处吗？

Is moaning good for mental health?

It is a common stereotype that the Brits love to moan, with the weather and Brexit being among the most common causes of grumbling around the country. It's not always pleasant being around someone who's complaining, but there is something deeply authentic about it. What's more, moaning can provide a form of relief and allow people to express their dissatisfaction, frustration or bad mood.

Sometimes it just feels good to vent, doesn't it?

That's right, venting allows you to release pent-up emotions, which may relate to something that's been bothering you for a while. When we vent, we express our thoughts and feelings, which can help us to feel heard, especially if someone listens to us and shows empathy. It can also help us feel like we're taking back control of a situation.

What other kinds of moaning are there?

Instrumental complaining is probably the most productive variation. It's the kind of complaint that seeks to find a solution to a specific problem. To take a concrete example, imagine a work colleague who's always complaining about how messy the office is and then actually contributes to making it tidier. It goes to show that how we complain is an important factor in whether or not our mental health benefits.

If we complain about a situation, but don't make any attempt to change it, or complain about something we can't control anyway, we're just going to accumulate a lot of frustration and helplessness. Our mood, self-esteem and general mental health will inevitably be affected. So if you do need to have a moan, try to do it in an effective, constructive way.

Do you have any tips on how to do that?

The most important thing is to become conscious of how you tend to complain. In particular, if it's a habit of complaining about anything and everything in an unfounded way, then try asking yourself what you want to achieve and coming up with solutions to do so. That way you put yourself in a constructive change.

At the same time, try to stop focusing on things you can't change that are beyond your control. It's also helpful surrounding yourself with enthusiastic and active people, who tend to have a positive impact on our mood and help us break out of a negative spiral.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't still moan or grumble from time to time, because complaining is part of how we communicate. It can also be a way of creating connections with strangers. We've all started chatting with someone about a source of shared dissatisfaction, like when the bus is late, or there's a long queue to pay at the supermarket.

And never complaining at all may actually be dangerous for your health. A study conducted by psychology researchers at the University of Jena in Germany showed that people who contain their negative emotions see their heart rate increase, which in the long run also increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. There you have it.

词汇表
stereotype [ˈsteriətaɪp] n. 刻板印象，固有看法，成见
Brit [brɪt] n. 英国人（非正式）
moan [məʊn] vi. 抱怨，发牢骚；呻吟
Brexit [ˈbreksɪt] n. 英国脱欧（Britain + exit 的合成词）
grumble [ˈɡrʌmbl] vi. 嘟囔，发牢骚，抱怨
dissatisfaction [ˌdɪsˌsætɪsˈfækʃn] n. 不满，不悦
vent [vent] vt. 发泄，吐露（情绪等）
pent-up emotions [ˌpent ʌp ɪˈməʊʃnz] 积压的情绪，压抑的情感
empathy [ˈempəθi] n. 共情，同理心
instrumental complaining [ˌɪnstrəˈmentl kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ] 工具性抱怨（以解决问题为目的的抱怨）
variation [ˌveəriˈeɪʃn] n. 变体，种类
concrete [ˈkɒŋkriːt] adj. 具体的，实在的
messy [ˈmesi] adj. 凌乱的，脏乱的
self-esteem [ˌself ɪˈstiːm] n. 自尊，自尊心
constructive [kənˈstrʌktɪv] adj. 建设性的，有益的
unfounded [ʌnˈfaʊndɪd] adj. 无根据的，没有理由的
break out of 逃脱，突破，摆脱
negative spiral [ˈspaɪrəl] 负面循环（情绪、状态持续恶化的过程）
contain [kənˈteɪn] vt. 压抑，抑制，克制（情绪）
high blood pressure 高血压

🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】