01 June 2023

Mental Health and Coping with Disappointments

Coping with Disappointments, Awareness, Research and Resources

Coping with Disappointments

You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It wont happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” ― Joel Osteen

It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” ― William Blake

Dealing with Personal Disappointments

Research in Handling Disappointments

Mental Health and Coping with Disappointments
"Mental health plays a significant role in how we cope with disappointments. Dealing with setbacks, unmet expectations, or failures can be challenging, but there are strategies that can help you navigate these situations in a healthier way. Here are some suggestions:

1. Acknowledge and accept your feelings: It's important to allow yourself to feel the emotions associated with disappointment, such as sadness, frustration, or anger. Acknowledge that it's natural to feel this way and give yourself permission to experience those emotions.

2. Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding. Avoid self-blame or negative self-talk. Remind yourself that disappointments are a part of life, and everyone experiences them at some point. Be patient with yourself as you process your feelings.

3. Focus on what you can control: Disappointments often arise from circumstances beyond our control. Instead of dwelling on what you can't change, shift your focus to the aspects that are within your control. This might include your attitude, efforts, or the steps you can take to move forward.

4. Reframe the situation: Try to reframe the disappointment in a more positive or realistic light. Look for any silver linings, lessons learned, or opportunities for growth that may have come out of the experience. Reframing can help shift your perspective and reduce the negative impact of the disappointment.

5. Seek support: Reach out to friends, family, or a support network for comfort and understanding. Sharing your feelings with others who care about you can provide emotional support and different perspectives. If needed, consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor who can offer guidance and strategies for coping with disappointments.

6. Practice self-care: Engage in activities that promote your overall well-being. This may include exercising, engaging in hobbies, spending time in nature, getting enough sleep, or practicing relaxation techniques. Taking care of your physical and mental health can help you build resilience and cope better with disappointments.

7. Set realistic expectations: Sometimes, disappointments occur when our expectations are too high or unrealistic. Reflect on whether your expectations were reasonable, and if necessary, adjust them to be more aligned with reality. Setting realistic expectations can reduce the frequency and intensity of disappointments.

8. Learn from the experience: Disappointments can provide valuable opportunities for growth and learning. Take the time to reflect on the situation and identify any lessons or insights you can gain. Use these experiences as stepping stones to develop resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.

Remember, coping with disappointments is a personal process, and it's okay to take time to heal and recover. If you find that your feelings of disappointment persist or significantly impact your daily life, it may be helpful to seek professional support from a mental health provider who can offer personalized guidance." (ChatGPT 2023)

A Discussion of Disappointment MentalHelp

A Psychologist’s Advice on How to Deal with Disappointment Manhattan Center for
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy


Advice for Dealing with Disappointment Emerald Psychiatry & TMS Center

Coping with Disappointments when Living with Mental Illness HealthyPlace

Dealing with People and Disappointment Medium

Dealing with Disappointment Harvard Business Review

Entitlement may lead to Chronic Disappointment ScienceDaily

How to Deal With Disappointment: 5 Ways to Get Over it BetterUp

How to Deal with Disappointment: 12 Helpful Steps The Positivity Blog

How to Get Over Disappointment: Examples and Strategies Berkeley Well-Being Institute

How to Help Kids Cope With Disappointment PBS Kids

How to Release Disappointment and Thrive When Life Isn’t Fair tiny buddha

Managing Expectations & a Disappointing Result aparto

Oh No! – The Psychology of Disappointment LifeHack

Romantic Disappointment : Betrayal, Rejection and Irrational Beliefs Maropeng Ralenala Master of Arts (MA), University of Johannesburg

Six Steps to Deal with Disappointment Attuned Psychology

Struggling with Depression and Constant Disappointment Beyond Blue

Talking about Disappointments: Identification work through multiple discourses at a prestigious university Sage Journals

The Experience of Regret and Disappointment PDF Download University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Impact of Disappointment in Decision Making: Inter-Individual Differences and Electrical Neuroimaging Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

The Psychology behind Disappointment The Standard

The Regret and Disappointment Scale: An instrument for Assessing Regret and Disappointment in Decision Making Department of Psychology University of Trieste

How to Deal with Disappointment in Life - Video