Does being cynical mentally and physically drain you?

[Diend]

When i started to become jaded and cynical, i felt my vitality being sapped from me. When i lost my naivety and began being vigilant, i felt depressed. I feel that being cynical can have its benefits, but it is mentally and physically painful to be cynical. It is invigorating to expect the best from others. I'm switching perspectives here and when I regress to my naive notions, my body and mind feels so bright and fired up. When i return to my cynical mindset, my head hurts and my body is stiff. I guess it's my body's fight or flight response going off when i sense danger in my cynical state, but in my naive state, i actually feel that i can fend off danger better. Thanks for your input.

 

[LA-girl]

Yes, and it has turned me into a person i'm not supposed to be.

 

[jaim38]

A decent amount of cynicism can be healthy but too much is not good. In the past I tend to fluctuate between pretentious naivety and extreme cynicism. Sometimes I would pretend that people actually have good intentions and deceive myself into thinking I like them and trust everything they say. Other times, I would be so pessimistic about people and not trusting anybody at all, even when people smile at me or say hi to me I think they have negative intentions behind that mask they're wearing.

Both extremes are physically draining. Now I am trying to cultivate a healthy sense of cynicism and trust in people. Common sense helps.