Clinical Psychologist İrem Uyar states that many people are afraid that something bad will happen after happiness:
“Happiness is seen as a temporary emotion. “People believe that they will encounter a negative situation right after these beautiful moments, and this thought prevents them from experiencing happiness to the fullest.”
PAST EXPERIENCES PLAY THE FOUNDATION OF FEAR
The origin of the fear of happiness usually dates back to childhood. According to Clinical Psychologist İrem Uyar, individuals whose emotional needs were not met in childhood or who grew up with punitive attitudes feel their happiness is under threat. “Individuals who are punished immediately after a happy moment as a child begin to think that something bad will follow happiness in adulthood. “That’s why they associate happiness with guilt or anxiety,” said Uyar, adding, “These people avoid being happy or sharing it with their surroundings, assuming that positive emotions will be followed by danger.”
CULTURAL BELIEFS ALSO PLAY A ROLE
Fear of happiness is fed not only by personal experiences but also by social beliefs. Proverbs such as “He who laughs a lot, cries a lot” and “He is worth the evil eye”, which are frequently used in Turkey, cause individuals to feel the need to hide their happiness.
Uyar emphasizes that such beliefs cause individuals to be afraid of being happy:
“People are afraid to share their happiness. “The fear of being caught in the eye or paying a price for being happy causes individuals to suppress their happiness.”
Stating that the individual must be aware of these concerns and confront past experiences in order to overcome the fear of happiness, Clinical Psychologist İrem Uyar underlined that happiness is a natural process like all other emotions and that a person should not deprive himself of this feeling.
Clinical Psychologist İrem Uyar said, “Adopting the idea that happiness has no price plays a key role in overcoming this fear. “Experiencing happiness with pleasure and sharing it also has positive effects on the mental health of the individual,” he said. According to experts, fear of happiness can be prevented if individuals learn to experience this emotion bravely instead of hiding it and social beliefs change.
(UAV)