Let’s dive right in - and consider the following, studied truths…
Lottery winners often don't report long-term increases in happiness (and this study too)
People who experience tragedies often recover emotionally over time (and this study too)
The thrill of a new purchase or achievement often fades quickly
This is a set of examples that show that there can be positive and negative events that fade or ‘regress’ back to near where happiness levels were at baseline (before the event happened).
Definition - Hedonic adaptation, also known as the hedonic treadmill, is a psychological process where people tend to return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative life changes.
In other words, we adapt to new circumstances, whether good or bad, and our emotional response to them diminishes over time.
So what?
September is National Recovery Month - covering a variety of recoveries including high and low impact events.
The examples above, buying a car, and losing a pet, are high impact events. There are low-impact events that can also lose their impact over time… take for example…
Vices - most of the classic vices - smoking, drinking, gambling, eating - all give a high - a pleasure - a satisfaction. The first experiences with these vices excite the neurotransmitters that makes us feel good. Even the first few experiences are far better feeling than our baseline. Over time, their effect diminishes to ‘near 0’ or even cause a cascade of other negative feelings that take happiness below baseline.
Digital addiction - similar to classic vices, over time the effect provides a dopamine hit, but the long term effects are often social isolation, disassociation, and overall spending excessive time (when time is your biggest asset) on activities with little to no net-positive value on your happiness; perhaps even over time lowering your happiness baseline.
Strategies to Break Cycles
Recognizing hedonic adaptation is the first step. Here are some strategies to break hedonic treadmill cycles:
Practice Gratitude:
Seek New Experiences:
Set and Pursue Meaningful Goals:
Savor Positive Moments:
Implement Variety:
Practice Mindfulness:
Healthier Habits and Impact-Reduction Strategies
Replacing less effective “happiness-seeking” behaviors (pleasures) with healthier alternatives can lead to wellth. Here are some examples:
Instead of Retail Therapy
Engage in creative hobbies like painting, writing, or gardening
Volunteer for causes you care about
Spend quality time with loved ones
Instead of Constant Upgrades
Focus on experiences rather than material possessions
Learn new skills or languages
Travel to new places (even locally) to broaden your perspective
Instead of Chasing Career Milestones
Cultivate meaningful relationships at work and in personal life
Seek work that aligns with your values and provides a sense of purpose
Balance career pursuits with personal growth and leisure activities
Instead of Overeating for Comfort
Practice mindful eating to fully appreciate your food
Explore new, healthy recipes as a form of self-care
Engage in physical activities you enjoy for mood-boosting endorphins
Instead of Social Media Validation
Foster deep, in-person connections with friends and family
Join clubs or groups aligned with your interests
Practice self-reflection and self-acceptance
… so go forth on a new path, appreciating that hedonic adaptation is a natural human tendency, but how you understand it empowers you to make choices toward wellth.
If you have a friend in recovery, reach out to them with kind words of praise and support. If you are a person in recovery, keep showing up to life as your best self each day!
Here’s your printable AI coloring book page, with odd shaped shoe soul on the right shoe. Probably leftover parts from when Yeezy’s got pulled from the market.
Great post!