A new Berkeley Psychology research study suggests that worrying too much about happiness can actually make you feel less happy and even more depressed.
The research, which was published in August in the American Psychological Association’s journal Emotion and titled “Unpacking the Pursuit of Happiness,” is a collaboration between UC Berkeley Psychology professors Iris Mauss and Oliver P. John, along with Berkeley Psychology alumni Felicia K. Zerwas (New York University postdoctoral researcher) and Brett Q. Ford (University of Toronto associate psychology professor).
The study examined two different aspects of pursuing happiness: aspiring to be happy and being concerned about one’s level of happiness. Results showed that aspiring to be happy did not predict a person’s overall well-being. But being concerned about happiness was heavily associated with lower well-being, including less satisfaction with life and greater depression symptoms.
“This means that changing how one thinks about happiness — specifically, decreasing one’s concern about happiness — should benefit mental health,” Professor Mauss said. “We need to be alert when we obsess over our happiness and paradoxically thwart our efforts to attain it.”
Mauss added: “While these findings raise a possible conundrum — wanting to feel happy ultimately involves feeling less happy — people should not take away that they are stuck. There are productive ways of thinking about happiness.”
The researchers propose that one way people can change their thinking and avoid being too concerned with happiness is to accept that they may never feel perfectly happy, even during positive experiences.
“Very few moments, if any, will bring only happiness, and latching on to the less-than-perfect aspects of positive moments will ultimately spoil them,” Zerwas said. “Instead, accepting the emotions we are feeling in the moment allows us to move forward without adding any extra negativity to the experience.”
Berkeley Psychology Professor Iris Mauss
Other ways people can prevent potentially harming their mental health include accepting that negative emotions are natural responses to life, not viewing positive activities as a means to an end (i.e., only doing something because you think it will make you happier), and partaking in activities that involve social connection, Mauss said.
Researchers carried out this study by having participants complete a series of surveys and diaries that measured valuing happiness as well as three facets of well-being: satisfaction with life, psychological well-being and depressive symptoms.
Future research related to this study may examine if results are consistent cross-culturally by including participants from other countries, and also if certain interventions (i.e., mindfulness practices) may increase psychological well-being in those overly concerned with happiness, Zerwas, the NYU researcher said.
Read the paper in the American Psychological Association’s journal Emotion: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0001381.
Berkeley Psychology alumna and New York University postdoctoral researcher Felicia K. Zerwas
