The Happiness Trap
by Russ Harris · first published 2007
85% recommend12% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Accessible introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, teaching that you can't control thoughts and feelings but can choose how to respond. Suited to people with anxiety, restlessness, or a wish for self-help.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…I've given as gifts recently: * The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Civilization in the Aftermath of a Cataclysm, Lewis Dartnell[1] * The Black Swan, Nassim Taleb[2] * Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse[3] * The Happiness Trap, Russ Harris and Steven Hayes[4] * Code, Charles Petzold[5] [1] https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Rebuild-Civilization-Afterm... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness-Frag... [3]…
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗…rather than struggling against them which causes more problems. Of course I can’t explain it in a paragraph either but I found a good video yesterday[1] or the self help book that’s good for that is “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris. [1] https://youtu.be/Qv_etBsR_Ew
on “Speaking to yourself in the third person makes you wiser” ↗…choice can lead to lack of motivation. This is just one example of a deep subject however which is why I suggest reading a lot and see what you identify with. Personally, I'm also a big fan of "The Happiness Trap" by Russ Harris. Good Luck.
Oh, absolutely. 99.999% of human history has been "just want to survive another year." Russ Harris has a great book about this called The Happiness Trap [0], which is an introduction to ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) [0]: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/76053/the-happiness...
on “A proposal to classify happiness as a psychiatric disorder” ↗…tend to get stronger and may stick around for a long time. I would recommend looking into ACT. E.g. check out this video by Russ Harris: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQTvFdbjlxw . Also, his book, "The Happiness Trap"[1], is well worth reading. This may be all you need. Before discovering Russ Harris, I developed my awareness of thoughts, as well as my mental flexibility, by doing attention training[2]. For more…
on “Procrastination is Not Laziness” ↗One book that I have gotten help from recently is "The Happiness Trap" by Dr. Russ Harris. (www.thehappinesstrap.com). It is a basic introduction to a recent form of cognitive behavioral therapy based on mindfulness called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The main difference…
on “Ask HN: Are you happy, well-rounded? (dealing w/ depression/lack of motivation)” ↗…never being happy" is a pretty common human condition, especially in the west. Hell, the entire advertising industry thrives on reminding us of this condition. A good book that deals with this is "The Happiness Trap" by Russ Harris. I've really enjoyed applying his techniques to my life and being more content because of it.
on “How teenage poker prodigy Steven Silverman won, and lost, millions” ↗A good intro to see if a mindfulness based approach resonates with you is "The Happiness Trap" by Russ Harris. http://www.thehappinesstrap.com/.
on “Ask HN: Burned out. How can I make the most of a sabbatical leave?” ↗Assuming there's no organic cause, why not try looking at self-help books? I found the following useful: http://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Start-Living...
on “Ask HN: Depression, Loss of Motivation, Feeling Lost. Please Help ” ↗…found so far. What it teaches you is that while you may not have complete control over your thoughts and feelings, you do have control over how you respond to them. A good starting place is the book "The Happiness Trap" by Dr. Russ Harris.
on “Ask HN: Exercises to overcome learned helplessness?” ↗_Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life_ was the first book on the subject, written by Steve Hayes who started ACT. Since then many more books have been written. Another popular one is _The Happiness Trap_[0] by Russ Harris. GOOYMAIYL is a workbook with a technical/scientific bend to it. He cites a lot of studies and data, and supports his theories quite a bit. If I had to guess, HN would enjoy this book,…
on “How to Have the Best Year of Your Life (without Setting a Single Goal)” ↗…Everybody has crazy thoughts, but not everybody believes in them."[1] When fully realizing that, things change dramatically. ACT has been very good to me. Let me recommend a book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Happiness-Trap-Based-revolutionary-m... [1] "Tankevirus" by Hanne H. Brorson (unfortunately only available in Norwegian.)
on “I'm a loser and I want to change that - now” ↗…to detect them. By the way: Gut flora may play a role in anxiety[2], at least for some. It seems to play a role in many different mental, as well as physical, illnesses. [1] http://www.amazon.com/The-Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Living/d... [2] http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/09/gut-feeling.aspx
on “Anxiety: Nothing to Do but Embrace the Dread” ↗…out Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I found a therapist who treats GAD and Panic Disorder using an ACT based therapy model and it has changed my life. For a good introduction you can get The Happiness Trap by Dr. Russ Harris. Still, if you find your anxiety is interfering in your ability to live a productive and meaningful life I highly recommend finding a good therapist at http://contextualscience.org/civicrm/profile?gid=17&reset=1&....
on “The Importance of Anxiety” ↗The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris is another good and very approachable book on ACT.
on “What I Learned from a Stroke at 26: Make Time to Untangle” ↗