We often bump into new ideas and proposals, scientific or non-scientific, that appear totally strange or unbelievable upon initial hearing, and we wonder how applicable they are to our everyday lives. Yet, they can be very interesting to think about and ponder upon. Here is one of those ideas: Happiness should be categorized as a psychiatric disorder, as proposed by Richard P Bentall from Liverpool University in 1992. He argues that although happiness is generally a positive thing and does not raise therapeutic concerns, it can be diagnosed and identified in a similar way as conditions such as depression, where the subjective mood is a widely recognized indicator of the condition. Happiness is also often associated with a specific set of “symptoms”, such as impulsiveness and unpredictability, which fits one of the criteria of being categorized as a disease based on a cluster of symptoms that appear together. Bentall also argues that happiness is statistically abnormal, puts people at a temporary cognitive and biological disadvantage in some ways, and sometimes reflects abnormal functioning of the central nervous system.
So, what do you guys think? Could there be such a thing as a “happiness disorder”? Would it be a desirable disorder?
Reference:
Bentall RP. A proposal to classify happiness as a psychiatric disorder. J Med Ethics.1992;18:94–98.
One reply on “Can happiness be categorized as a psychiatric disorder?”
Very interesting perspective that you have presented here! My first thoughts are to compare and contrast the proposed condition of happiness with that of mania. However, in order for any of the traits associated with mania to be consider problematic they must be present at a level that is disruptive to the healthy functioning of the individual. It may be possible to consider placement of happiness at the low end of the mania continuum…but I suspect that the advocates for positive psychology would have something to argue against that consideration ; )