The Dangers of Pretending to Be Happy: Impact on Long-Term Mental Health

JAKARTA – You may not realize when every time you feel tired, stress anxious, sad, then trying to cover it up and don’t want to express it.

You may try to always smile and think positively to cover up the sad feelings you feel.

Even though always thinking positively is a good way to divert feelings of sadness, without realizing it it’s the same as you’re trying to always pretend to be happy.

In fact, constantly pretending to be happy can have a serious impact on mental health. Here are three dangers that can occur when you keep pretending to be happy, citing Psychology Today.

1. Keeping Emotions Like a Time Bomb

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Holding back and covering your true emotions with a smile and pretending to be happy is like a time bomb that can explode at any moment. One study published inAcademy of Management Journal found that workers who tried to fake their emotions and get about their day experienced worse emotional states over time.

2. Believing in Unrealistic Happiness

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Many people think that the more people smile, the more positive they will feel, and the happier they will be. But an article published in Journal of Experimental Social Psychology actually found the opposite.

In conclusion, it is stated that people who are often forced to smile can actually backfire for him because it is not a smile for realistic happiness

3. Blocking People from Providing Help

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When you keep convincing yourself about your happiness even though you don’t feel it, then the people around you will also treat you as if you were really okay. This can prevent you from getting the mental health help and support you really need.

(ita)