Can you be afraid of being happy? Absolutely yes, despite seem paradoxical. And the phenomenon seems not to be so rare.
This condition is known how cherophobiaan irrational fear that leads those who suffer from developing a pathological aversion towards all those emotions usually considered positive.
The term has Greek roots and literally means “fear of happiness“(Kairós “What rejoices” e fóbos “fear”).
Definition of cherophobia
There cherophobia It is not present in the DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and does not fall within the diagnostic classification of mental health. However, it can be defined as a specific form of anticipatory anxiety, which prevents you from reaching the state of happiness.
In other words, it is a tendency to avoid the positive circumstances and emotions that derive from it. To refuse to take part in fun activities and to show anxiety when you are invited to participate in situations to which a pleasant value is commonly attributed (e.g., a party, a convivial moment, etc.).
All this seems to be motivated by the belief that happiness is a kind of “forbidden fruit”, a transient phenomenon. Something not to show too much and for which you often feel guilty. To which, therefore, almost certainly, punishment, bad luck or negative events will follow.
This attitude often can lead tocar and the active surrender of situations that could potentially generate joy, euphoria, or more simply emotional well -being. This implies the opportunity to live a happy life concretely precluding.
Cherophobia can be confused with
Based on what can be the Manifestations of Cherophobiait could be mistakenly confused with other paintings in psychopathology. Eg, depression, social anxiety, avoidant disorder, generalized anxiety, etc.
It is important to carry out a differential diagnosis and to grasp what the reasons of the Cherophobic person are to implement certain behaviors. Eg, who suffers from cherophobia He fears happiness and his subsequent disappearance. Instead, people who suffer from depression are frightened by sad sadness and emotions.
The causes of fear of being happy
In recent years, several scholars have dealt with cherophobia.
In particular, Michael R. Gallagher (Professor at the Department of Psychology of Mississippi State University), claims that Cherophobic people come to fear to be happy because in the past they have experienced highly negative experiences immediately after experiencing very positive moments. Therefore have connected the two emotional moments according to a consequential link. This learning therefore pushes them to be constantly in a state of alert every time they experience or expect to experience positive emotions.
In some cases, the one known as “theory of devaluation of the reward” also takes over, introduced in 2016 by the professor of psychology Sam Winer. When a person feels that “It’s all too beautiful to be true“, Tends to implement a defense mechanism and to automatically self-pair one’s happiness, or the possibility of being able to experiment with it.
Perfectionism and cherophobia
From a 2022 study of 871 adults in different countries, it emerged that people who present an perfectionistic style and have the greatest need for control have an external locus of control and a pessimistic attributive style. I am more Vulnerable to Cherophobia And they tend to structure rigid beliefs with respect to the inevitability that after the evil the good and vice versa comes.
This derives from the attempt to want to control also happiness, thus ending in the impossibility of doing it, and then attributing responsibility outside (e.g., to superior and unknown forces such as karma, fate, God, fate, etc.).
How to deal with the fear of being happy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is to date one of the most used and most effective therapies to face Cherophobia.
This approach is based on the theoretical model according to which it is necessary to identify and modify, renovate them, i negative thoughts and the distorted beliefs related to the concept and experience of happiness, evidently learned during one’s life experience.
Individuals thus learn, within a therapeutic path, to recognize and familiarize themselves with their own thought pattern. In fact, these lead them to implementing a series of active avoidance against the expectation of happiness. In therapy they can re -elaborate them and learn to implement a series of alternative and more functional behavioral strategies.
Bibliography
- Holden, R. (2009). Be Happy: Release The Power of Happiness in You. New York City: Hay House Inc.
- Joshanloo, M., Weijers, D. (2013). Aversion to Happiness Across Cultures: A Review of Where and Why People Arei to Happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15, 717–73.
- Spinelli, C. (2019). The fear of being happy: description, symptoms, cherophobia treatment.
