Disappointment

A subjective reaction to expected benefits is disappointment. The length of time it takes to recover from disappointment depends on both its severity and the person experiencing it. The same disappointment may take a few minutes for some people while it may take days for others. Optimists' sporadic immune system damage has also been theorized to be caused by disappointment and an inability to prepare for it. While optimists typically have greater health, when under extended or unmanageable stress, they may instead show reduced immunity, a condition known as the "disappointment effect.
According to the "disappointment effect," optimists are less equipped to handle disappointment when it occurs because they do not use "emotional padding" to prepare for it. Since the mid-1990s, researcher Suzanne Segerstrom has disputed this disappointment effect and has written both independently and collaboratively multiple studies examining its viability. Her research indicates that rather than being unable to handle disappointment, optimists are more likely to actively deal with their issues, which may damage their immunity.