Accepting that things can simply turn out good for you can be a difficult task,
especially if you have a lot of cultural and psychological baggage in the way.
Some seemingly simple and small things could interfere in our path to guilt-free happiness.
Nowadays, the pressure of being happy or getting away with a good opportunity is enormous. To better understand
what happens in our brain during a happy event and how we sabotage ourselves during the acceptance of a fortunate event,
we talked with PhD Christine Ba Cho and got a few answers for these unsettling questions:
According to one of your articles people tend to associate guilt with certain pleasant events,
but they can develop certain habits to maintain a positive mindset.
You said being happy for the sake of others rather than for ourselves can break a cycle of anxiety and unhappiness.
Could the feeling of empathy be associated with guilt-free happiness and create awareness within a community?
People may associate guilt with certain pleasant event because they feel is unfair or inappropriate for them to be happy when others are suffering;
when a loved one is battling a critical illness or has died in a tragic way
we may think being happy would be a sign of disloyalty. In a loving relationship
it's important to share your feelings and experiences so we yearn to experience what they're
experiencing in an effort to keep them beside us even if it means sacrificing our own happiness.
However, in a healthy relationship,
each person wants the other to be content, so letting ourselves be happy is what a loved one would wish for. You
may desire to suffer in their place
but of course, that's not possible. So, our role is to help them cope and bring happiness to them.
By being happy for others and understanding the real value of joy, you can break the cycle of negative emotions.
Happiness is more than a solitary experience, it's contagious. And feeling empathy for others allows us to help them move beyond the difficulties.
Why do people tend to abandon logic when undergoing changes in life? Are emotions generally a bigger decision-maker for us?
Emotions are regulated by different dynamics and different brain mechanisms, biological thinking follow rules and lead to productive conclusions.
Emotion can influence our decisions for better or for worse.
Even when we believe that choices are based on logic, oftentimes those choices are also affected by emotional bias
because the emotional attachment govern preference and perceived importance.
Also, many people believe that life choices shouldn't be decided purely on logic, take for example, marriage. Most would prefer to
choose their partners using their emotions rather than using utilitarian logic.
How can optimistic and joyful people directly influence those suffering from depression or anxiety?
Being optimistic allows the person to see a wider variety of options and
recognizes more opportunities for growth, success, and increasing the chances of feeling happy. Being open to new experiences
can help overcome the sense of helplessness the stems from depression and anxiety.
While it takes time and practice,
following an optimistic attitude can ultimately help
someone experience small successes that lead to greater personal growth and life satisfication.
Joy is contagious and changes the way others interact with us.
Others are likely to spend more time with, and respond more positively to us, when they share our happiness;
having a positive attitude and healthier social
interaction can break the cycle of depression and replace it with a cycle of more positive emotions.
Why do superstitions like Karma guide our fear of feeling happy?
Karma is one example of a belief that's understood differently in various cultures, in a society that doesn't fault the
fundamental philosophy behind it, the idea is often applied simply to convey a deeper universal human need for order.
Notions of randomness, luck and chance are threatened to our psychological well-being,
because they suggest that we will never be in full control of our lives.
Consequently, we seek to impose orders, especially during chaotic or stressful times.
Misunderstanding situations that are governed by chance such as gambling,
reinforced by variable awards, can lead to unhealthy behaviors.
Young people nowadays are more connected than any previous generation.
How can this asset be useful in transforming the world around us, especially with the growing number of anxiety disorders in that age group?
Being socially connected is the essential to psychological well-being.
Many Millennials are more connected to their families than prior generations as they take a longer to buy their own homes. They
have also benefited from social media and smartphones which has mixed impact on them; on one hand,
there's a possibility of being able to reach out for emotional and practical support anytime.
But, on the other, being constantly connected can impose stress and lead to anxiety disorders.
People's behavior on social media tend to be more extreme than in real life, leading to events such as cyber bullying and invasion of privacy.
Generally, for many young people, constant connection means always being on-call with no alone time for themselves.
But they are learning to use technology in constructive ways whether it's befriending people from diverse
backgrounds or keeping in touch with distant friends.
Additionally, they are able to use the internet to expand the impact of pro-social effort from
fundraising for worthy causes to raising awareness for important issues.
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