Cherophobia: when happiness scares you

Happiness is what most of us aspire to in life and no one wants to go through a life full of pain and unhappiness. However, for people with Cherophobia, happiness seems to be an invisible fear.

Cherophobia: when happiness scares you

The term Cherophobia is derived from the Greek word “chair” (rejoice). When paired with the suffix “phobia”, Cherophobia means the fear of feeling happy, because people with this disorder often think that the feeling of happiness is just a fake or a sign of “peace” before the storm” – a harbinger of something terrible to come.

Cherophobia is not considered a mental illness, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association. However, the introduction of the term suggests that there is a group of people who all experience a similar feeling – fear of happiness.

According to psychologist Dr. Jessica Swainston, the hallmarks of having Cherophobia can also be seen as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5, with two cognitive and behavioral symptoms.

Since this syndrome is not on the DSM-5 list, there is no specific treatment that can help you overcome this feeling. However, Dr. Jessica Swainston has suggested some methods to help you overcome the phobia of happiness as follows:

This is a therapy that pushes you to face your fear instead of running away from it. When you face your fears – that is, you start to experience more happy, joyful moments and events, you’ll realize, they weren’t necessarily bad experiences or disasters. out after you allow yourself to be in a positive atmosphere.

Meditation, yoga, or some breathing exercises can improve your mood and help you improve your health and anxiety.

Sometimes, writing down your fears and anxieties can prove to be very helpful. All you need to do is find a quiet place, sit down, and write down the things you can’t tell others. Talking to yourself is also a useful way to help you feel more relieved.

This allows you to enjoy happy moments without worrying about what happened in the past or in the future. It will dispel feelings of guilt over unpleasant past experiences, as well as prevent you from worrying excessively about the future. You can practice by focusing on affirmative statements like “I allow myself to be happy in the present moment.” This is also great therapy for you to apply the law of attraction, attracting positive things to yourself.

If you can’t do these things on your own for some reason, you can try hypnotherapy. With the help of highly qualified doctors, hypnotherapy can help you improve your quality of life and reduce anxiety levels.