Exploring Happiness Hangovers And How To Overcome Them

Post-Party Depression and Happiness Hangovers sound like made-up phenomena, but they’re real. These terms sum up the terrible feeling you have after experiencing extremely happy moments.

Many people get anxious around events, birthdays, and holidays because they hold a lot of pressure and excitement. Although these milestones and events are fantastic at the moment, they can result in a wave of sadness.

We are all familiar with hangovers from binge drinking, but now we are exploring a different type of hangover. Read to learn more about happiness hangovers and how to overcome them when you’re struggling.

What Is A Happiness Hangover?

All huge milestones and celebrations come with a range of emotions, but happiness peaks the most. For a few days, weeks, or even months leading up to these events, we get increasingly excited at the possibilities.

When the day finally comes, one is usually surrounded by family and friends who help make the moment even more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the good times don’t last forever, and everybody must go home at some point.

The silence after all guests leave becomes unbearable once many days of happiness are over in a few hours. This overwhelming wave of sadness is called post-party depression or a happiness hangover.

Experts explain that most humans have a ‘happiness set point’ that balances itself out. Thus, when you are extremely delighted, and your happiness set-point balances out, you experience depressive lows in turn.

Examples Of Happiness Hangovers

Happiness hangovers are not limited to the day after-parties, but many joy-filled events as well. The Sunday Scaries are a form of happiness hangover as it affects those coming out of a great weekend.

Many newlyweds also struggle with a happiness hangover after the delight of their honeymoon phase. Happiness hangovers can also affect those who have just completed a monumental project.

Newly retired people experience happiness hangovers after a few months of relaxation as well. This feeling also creeps in after vacations, graduation ceremonies, winning, and reaching goals like making money.

All of these instances have one thing in common. The moment of happiness is highly anticipated but ends up not lasting as long as the time that the anticipation did, consequently thrusting one into a depression.

How To Overcome It

Humans are wired to work towards goals, and participating in fun activities is rewarding. When these goals are reached and activities are over, the depression sets in and needs a few simple recovery steps.

Practicing gratitude can be a fantastic way to get rid of a happiness hangover. This way, you can shift your energy towards being grateful for the little things you experience daily instead of what you do not have anymore.

It is also important to savor a moment after it is done, especially if you’ve spent a lot of time on it. Scheduling regular small moments of happiness is also a great way to add a little glimmer to your everyday life.