3 Telltale Signs You May Have a Fear of Happiness, Also Called Cherophobia

If you find yourself experiencing a fear of happiness, it’s possible you may have cherophobia. Cherophobia comes from the root words “chero,” which means “to rejoice,” and “phobia,” which means fear. If you do fear happiness, you may believe something bad will happen if you feel happy. And this phobia can quickly get in the way of your life.

You won’t find “cherophobia” listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), the handbook doctors use to diagnose mental health conditions. But having a fear of happiness can be understood the same way as other specific phobias. Let’s take a closer look.

Symptoms of cherophobia

Cherophobia shares symptoms with other types of phobias. Overall, most symptoms of cherophobia are linked to feeling terrified when you’re presented with a happy situation. 

1. Avoiding happiness

One of the hallmark symptoms of any phobia is avoidance. Your fear is so great, you do as much as you can to avoid coming into contact with it. This goes for a fear of happiness too. If you have cherophobia, you likely try to push aside happiness when you start to feel it. You may also avoid situations you think might cause you to feel joy. Over time, this avoidance can get in the way of your life or working toward your goals. 

2. Worrying that happiness will cause bad things

People with cherophobia prefer not to be too joyful because they believe happiness is often followed by disasters or sadness. Researchers in one study suggest this is because people with cherophobia associate any sign of happiness with anxiety they might experience later on. This leads them to avoid joy altogether because it feels safer.

3. Experiencing anxiety about social situations

People with a fear of happiness often experience fear when they are invited to “fun” activities. Many feel anxious when they think about a joyful social gathering, like a party, concert, or similar event, and they will choose not to attend as a result. As a result, you may lose relationships due to your fears. This can lead to a lot of time spent alone, feeling isolated. 

This fear of social situations is different from social anxiety. With social anxiety, you fear being judged in social settings. With a fear of happiness, you’re afraid of feeling joy and other pleasant emotions rather than fearing judgment.

Why might you have an aversion to happiness?

Experts aren’t 100% sure on the exact causes of a fear of happiness. But like other phobias and mental health conditions, it’s likely a combination of factors. Here’s what we know so far.

Difficult childhood experiences

One factor that might lead to a fear of happiness is experiencing trauma as a child. Researchers aren’t yet sure why a tough childhood is linked to cherophobia. But one theory is if you had an unpredictable childhood, happiness could feel uncertain. Or happiness may have ended up associated with traumatic events or experiences. 

Cultural factors

Some researchers also believe that cherophobia is linked to the type of culture you were raised in. If you grew up in a Western culture, being happy (and trying to achieve happiness) was likely seen as “normal.” But this may not be the case in your culture.

The values of your culture may determine how acceptable happiness is to you, and whether or not you feel guilt or shame when you experience it.

Major depression and stress

A fear of happiness may be linked to having major depression or experiencing alexithymia (an inability to identify emotions). These conditions often occur alongside cherophobia, suggesting a fear of happiness may be a symptom of depression, anxiety, and stress.

How do you stop fearing happiness?

One of the best ways to manage a fear of happiness is to seek help from a mental health professional. A therapist can help you understand your symptoms as well as provide new coping tools to manage your fear. It’s especially important to seek help if your fears start to make you feel isolated or depressed.

CBT to treat a fear of happiness

One of the first-choice treatments for any phobia is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). And there’s evidence it can help with a fear of happiness specifically. 

CBT helps you understand how your thoughts, actions, and emotions are linked. With this knowledge, you can start to change your behaviors and reframe negative thoughts that contribute to your fears. 

Exposure therapy

Some therapists might recommend exposure therapy, which is a treatment used to help people confront their fears. Exposure therapy is designed to help you slowly confront your fears with the support of your therapist. 

You’ll start small, exposing yourself to small amounts of happiness to teach your brain that happiness isn’t dangerous. Exposure therapy also helps you realize that you can feel fear and still engage in joyful activities as part of having the life you want.

Using coping skills at home

There are also ways you can cope with your fear of happiness outside of therapy. Here are some ideas to try:

• Try distraction. Distractions — such as reading or doing a crossword puzzle — can help turn your attention away from your fears. This may help you feel less anxious when you’re overwhelmed by fear.

• Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness can help you calm down because it pulls you out of your fears and into what’s happening around you. You can practice mindfulness meditation using an app. You could also use your surroundings to practice mindfulness by identifying everything you can see that’s a certain color or focusing all your attention on the sounds you hear.

• Use deep breathing. Breathing exercises that help you take in more oxygen and slow down can help calm your anxiety. An easy one to start with is box breathing. You breathe in for four counts, then hold your breath for four counts. Next breathe out for four counts and hold again for four counts before repeating the exercise.

• Make a support plan. If you know you’re headed to a certain situation that will trigger your fear of happiness, make a plan ahead of time. Write down what skills you want to use when you feel anxious as well as people you can text or call for support.

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Written by:

Jenni Gritters, MS, CPC

Jenni Gritters is a journalist with a decade of experience writing about parenting, purchasing, psychology, and health. Jenni was previously a full-time editor at MedTech Boston, Upworthy, and Wirecutter.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

India B. Gomez, PhD

India B. Gomez, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with a certificate in Latin American Family Therapy. She completed her doctoral education at the California School of Professional Psychology/Alliant International University.

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