Life is dangerous and ultimately leads to death. At any moment, any one of us could drop dead , either by natural causes or unnatural causes . As soon as we are born we start to “die”. Every one we know will someday die. To go around “happy” would be delusional. Is happiness a defense mechanism? Sorry for the downer.
Source: RP Bentall
Department of Clinical Psychology, Liverpool University
It is proposed that happiness be classified as a psychiatric disorder and be included in future editions of the major diagnostic manuals under the new name: major affective disorder, pleasant type. In a review of the relevant literature it is shown that happiness is statistically abnormal, consists of a discrete cluster of symptoms, is associated with a range of cognitive abnormalities, and probably reflects the abnormal functioning of the central nervous system. http://jme.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/…