Pleasure and positivity are powerful medicine

Posted on Mon, 8 Mar 10

Pleasurable emotions such as joy, happiness, excitement, enthusiasm, and contentment are associated with a lower risk from heart disease, the leading cause of premature death in the western world. Depression is well known to increase heart disease risk however people who are generally positive – even if they do experience occasional depression, anxiety or anger – experience greater health. The promotion of joy and happiness may soon be used as medicine.

Don’t worry, be happy

Positive emotions have been shown to positively influence health and behaviour. For example people who generally experience more positive emotions are less likely to smoke, often sleep better, and have better cardiovascular health and lower levels of stress hormones in their blood (1-3). Positive emotions have been shown to reduce incidence of hospital admission for fatal and non fatal heart disease, including heart attack, over a 10 year period in both men and women (4). Commenting on this finding the study authors suggest that increasing positive emotions may be an important way to prevent heart disease.

Pleasure prescription

Research into practical ways to increase positive emotions and reduce heart disease risk is in progress (5). In the mean time psychotherapy may help. Psychotherapy aims to increase positive emotions, while decreasing negative feelings such as depression and can result in an improved quality of life (6). Importantly, antidepressant medications are designed to treat depression, not increase happiness, and when used without psychotherapy can lower positive emotions (7).

References

1. Brummett BH, Boyle SH, Kuhn CM, et al. Positive affect is associated with cardiovascular reactivity, norepinephrine level, and morning rise in salivary cortisol. Psychophysiology 2009;46:862–869.

2. Steptoe A, O’Donnell K, Marmot M, Wardle J. Positive affect, psychological wellbeing, and good sleep. J Psychosom Res 2008;64:409–415.

3. Strong DR, Kahler CW, Leventhal AM, et al. Impact of bupropion and cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression on positive affect, negative affect, and urges to smoke during cessation treatment. Nicotine Tob Res 2009;11:1142–1153.

4. Davidson KW, Mostofsky E, Whang W. Don't worry, be happy: positive affect and  reduced 10-year incident coronary heart disease: The Canadian Nova Scotia Health  Survey. Eur Heart J. 2010 Feb 17. [Epub ahead of print]

5. Charlson ME, Boutin-Foster C, Mancuso CA, et al. Randomized controlled trials of positive affect and self-affirmation to facilitate healthy behaviors in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases: rationale, trial design, and methods. Contemp Clin Trials 2007;28:748–762.

6. Cuijpers P, van Straten A, Warmerdam L. Behavioral activation treatments of depression: a meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev 2007;27:318–326.

7. Price J, Cole V, Goodwin GM. Emotional side-effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: qualitative study. Br J Psychiatr 2009;195:211–217.