Fixing What Isn’t Broken: Why Regulating Positive Emotions Can Backfire

What is it about?

This study explores how people manage their emotions daily and how these strategies influence their mental health, specifically depressive symptoms. Unlike most research, which focuses mainly on managing negative emotions, this study looks at how people regulate both positive and negative emotions and how these approaches differ. Using smartphone surveys from over 1,000 participants, we found that strategies often seen as helpful, like reappraisal and problem-solving, can backfire when applied to positive emotions, potentially leading to worse emotional outcomes and increased depressive symptoms. By contrast, approaches like acceptance and savoring seem to enhance well-being regardless of the emotional context.

Featured Image

Photo by Tasha Kostyuk on Unsplash

Photo by Tasha Kostyuk on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The research reveals that not all emotion regulation strategies are universally beneficial. Sometimes, attempting to "fix" positive emotions can unintentionally disrupt them, reinforcing depressive symptoms. This insight challenges the common therapeutic focus on managing negative emotions and underscores the importance of savoring and accepting positive emotions. The findings advocate for context-specific interventions for more effective treatments for affective disorders and better public mental health outcomes.