# Does happiness of other people make you happy?



## Thomas Paine

Does it make you happy when you see a happy couple in love, someone with a smile on their face, someone who has really cool toys/possessions? Or does it just make you wish you were them, or bring up some other negative feeling?

Personally, I love seeing other people happy and successful, and love helping people. I feel terrible when I see someone who is unhappy. It gives me anxiety/depression when I see people who are depressed or angry, but seeing happy people or making someone else happy helps it go away and reminds me that there's hope.


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## sansd

I think someone I feel positively about being happy would tend to make me feel a little better, although there are instances where seeing other people's happiness could make me feel worse. I can be envious of others' friendships and social experiences, for example.


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## millenniumman75

If it is somebody close to me, then I am happy. Otherwise, it depends on my mood.


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## AussiePea

I always like people to be happy, it makes me happy. I am not a jealous person so seeing people being successful if anything simply inspires me to work harder so I too can enjoy that thrill.

Planet has too much sadness, anger and depression and I can never understand why observing people like that would make anyone feel better....


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## Syrena

Well, generally, if people are happy, I doubt they are going to be bothering me, so that's a plus. However, if it's say, a happy couple, and I'm lonely (like usual), I tend to just be jealous. 

It's not that I want to take away what they have, I just want it too.


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## Envision

Thomas Paine said:


> Does it make you happy when you see a happy couple in love, someone with a smile on their face, someone who has really cool toys/possessions? Or does it just make you wish you were them, or bring up some other negative feeling?
> 
> Personally, I love seeing other people happy and successful, and love helping people. I feel terrible when I see someone who is unhappy. It gives me anxiety/depression when I see people who are depressed or angry, but seeing happy people or making someone else happy helps it go away and reminds me that there's hope.


Successful? No! Because successful people are often unhappy. Once a person has the basic necessities of life, happiness is not dependent on income.

Happy? Are they really happy? Happiness seems to be very short-lived. Sometimes, I'm a very good actor pretending I'm happy. Most of us are. If we look sad and unhappy, we're not going to make many friends.

Love? No! If someone is intensely in love, good for them. But I know that instense love won't last forever. It may be all over next month. I've seen so many relationships that are farces. Unfaithfulness. A one-sided love. Sadly, I don't want love.

I do feel very sad when I see poverty. Most of us should be very happy we're living in the present age we are. I'm very thankful for that.


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## anonymid

While seeing unhappy people makes me feel bad, seeing happy people doesn't necessarily make me feel good.


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## lyssado707

Sometimes. Prolly has to do with mood. If i'm jealous i try to remind myself i'm happy for them underneath the jealousy cuz i believe i really am.


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## Dipper

It depends on if I think they deserve it. But generally yes it makes me happy. I doesn't brighten my mood or anything but I like to see joy and happiness instead of pain and sorrow. I would hate to get negative feelings toward that sort of thing. I do get a bit envious though. And it can make me feel down that I'm not happy like them. So I guess I just went all over the place with this post didn't I? lol, but hopefully you know what I mean.


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## EagerMinnow84

anonymid said:


> While seeing unhappy people makes me feel bad, seeing happy people doesn't necessarily make me feel good.


You stole my answer.


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## ShyFX

millenniumman75 said:


> If it is somebody close to me, then I am happy. Otherwise, it depends on my mood.


Same. I find people's emotions rub off on me the more I know them and care about them.


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## Freedom2010

I usually do end up feeling what others around me are feeling, so if other people are happy it makes me happy. Seeing happy couples though can make me jealous.


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## KyleThomas

It depends on my mood. If I'm in a really down mood, then not much is going to make me happy. But generally speaking, yes I am happy to see others happy.


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## JFmtl

Most of the time, other people's happiness makes me happy too, unless i'm in a very very very bad mood


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## EagerMinnow84

It also depends what brought on the happiness. A friend of mine recently moved back home to go back to school and she was happy (and sad too) about it. I was really happy for her that she is able to be near her family and further her education and do awesome things. It made me sad that she was leaving, but I was happy for her that she was going to grad school and near the family that she missed when she was in Chicago. 

It makes me envious when I see people my age together. It does not make me happy. It makes me very very envious. I do not like how I feel when this happens.


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## britisharrow

I like to see people I care about happy.

This does not stop me feeling jealous when other people have what I want, especially if I don't think they deserve it as much as I do.


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## Aurora

I chose depends on mood.. but if the happy person is close to me, like family or partner, then it makes me happy, if its anyone else, its just annoying lol. I dont have much happiness right now. My family isnt very happy and I can never tell with my partner. I wish the closest people around me were more positive. It could really help me out.


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## IThinkIAmMe

deep down in that area where my heart and/or soul is supposed to be si that of a bitter old person....so no, their happiness does not make me happy lol


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## Toad Licker

For the most part no because I'm rarely truely happy and it usually has nothing to do with other people when I am, though other peoples happiness can pick my mood up at times depending on the situation.


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## Your Crazy

When I see happy people, mainly a group of people socializing or a smiling couple, I get horribly depressed and then go on to wondering why I exist.


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## jer

seeing other people happy makes me depressed even more. and I also feel a little irritation.
Probably because I feel that I cannot ever be like them.


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## quietgal

Depends on my mood, and who the other people are.


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## TorLin

i voted "_It depends on my mood._"


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## Shauna The Dead

if its close family and I'm included in the happiness then yes
if its someone else, no- itd make me feel like **** and I'd be jealous and more negative actually.


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## Pocketfox

Usually it does. In the past, at least. Especially for people close to me, I would get really happy when my SO would get good exam marks, etc. But lately I just get jealous.


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## Still Waters

For me,it depends on the situation. I know some people who are very wealthy,but not very decent human beings. When they buy a nicer car,bigger mansion,or are discussing their latest cruise - it sickens me! However,I once had a friend who was a good soul and she had a difficult time just buying food. If she'd somehow come into money I would have been thrilled for her. I used to fantasize that I'd become very rich and get to just give her a big check!


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## outcast69

Envy,seems to be the key word here.I want everyone to know happiness;but at the same time I wonder why I can't experience it.Is it like winning the lottery or is it randomly handed out to a chosen few.I believe everyone knows moments of happiness and sadness throughout their lives.The truth is how can we appreciate happiness is we never experience sadness.I know my turn at happiness is just over the next hill,now the challenge in climbing that hill.


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## nightrain

If someone I care about is happy it makes me happy too.


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## Micronian

I'm always happy when kids are happy. When it's NOT a child, and this person gets lots of material posessions, I'm pretty neutral. I'm neither happy nor unhappy, but I do congratulate them.


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## christ~in~me

i love seeing other people happy,even if i'm not it cheers me up when someone else is


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## UltraShy

Why would I want to see others having that which I don't have, have never had, and likely never will have?

Happy people just make me more unhappy.


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## Thomas Paine

UltraShy said:


> Why would I want to see others having that which I don't have, have never had, and likely never will have?


Because when you stop being selfish in a negative way and start enjoying making other people happy, it eventually comes back around to you. One of those common sense laws of nature.


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## Scrub-Zero

I'm happy for them, but i don't go crazy with joy and do back flips all over the place.


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## Thomas Paine

Logan X said:


> I'm happy for them, but i don't go crazy with joy and do back flips all over the place.


That would be awesome if you _could_ do back flips all over the place though.


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## Meee

Depends on my mood. If i'm in a good mood, generally yeah it will. If i'm depressed it just makes it worse.


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## IllusionOfHappiness

Well, I wouldn't say I want to see people unhappy, but seeing them without a care in the world only makes me feel like ****.


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## Iced Soul

It depends on my mood and who it is.
If it's someone close to me or family, yes, I'll be happy if they're happy, unless it's something that I know can and will go badly.

If I'm in a good mood, seeing kids playing, couples together, elderly people enjoying life, it makes me happy. If I'm in a bad mood or depressed, it all sucks and I feel like kicking them all.


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## Thomas Paine

Yeah, since I'm going through some slight drug withdrawals right now, I'm gonna have to change my own answer to "depends on my mood.".


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## zomgz

oh for sure!!! if everyone around me is happy i'm totally there too . but if everyone around me is sad i try to be happy still! haha being happy is fun =]


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## odicepaul

EagerMinnow84 said:


> You stole my answer.


Mine too, there is no real change in my happyness to see people happy, nor unhappy. The only time it changes the way I feel if it is in someone I love such as my little sister who has recently tried to commit suicide again. This makes me very unhappy to see her so unhappy. The real problem is that I am not happy enough to make her more happy. (I guess???)


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## ecotec83

It really depends on my mood. Sometimes if certain things about my life are bothering me i am more sensitive to other people. If i'm feeling really down about being single i can get a bit depressed to see other people holding hands and being happy couples. Sometimes overly happy people can annoy me to but it really again depends on my mood.


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## Emptyheart

I really love to see people happy..Inside tho I wish i was feeling their emotions. When I see A depressed person..It really gets to me..It feels like their emotions jump to me.


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## 1ShyGuy

Yes it definately does especially if I made them happy


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## refined_rascal

Nothing short of the total destruction of my enemies ever makes me happy; oh, and the smile on little babies faces.


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## bluecrime

No it just makes me jealous, especially when they brag on about how successful they feel. Just makes me feel like **** and brings on my depression  Wish people would just keep their successes to themselves.


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## Jesuszilla

I like seeing people happy.


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## monotonous

depends on my mood haha precisely described me, as im unhappy most of the time so i could say no i guess


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## TryingMara

If it's someone I'm close to, then I'm usually thrilled for them. Sometimes when I'm just observing people out in public and see affectionate couples, it hurts and the longing rears it's head. I would never wish someone ill will or be pleased by another's unhappiness.


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## Alienated

If I can make someone happy in the end, I feel great !! Even if I have to piss them off to do it !!


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## Zatch

As all hell. Especially when I am to blame.


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## NoHeart

Only those I truly care about.


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## alenclaud

Depends on the person, but generally yes, I suppose. I really don't think about it, but as long as they aren't suffering, I'm happy for them.


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## Twelve Keyz

depends on the person. But I do have a tendency to get jealous and depressed.


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## Wildfire91

Seeing other people happy usually makes me feel better inside myself. I know it's not my happiness but seeing it just seems to make the world seem like less of a bad place.
Seeing people hurt or distressed also has the opposite effect on me, I feel I want to do whatever I can to help that person even though in most cases there is nothing I can do.


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## AceEmoKid

Generally doesn't affect my mood much when the people happy are just strangers or slight acquaintances, unless I'm already teetering on some extreme emotions (elation, rage, depression). I do however feel overjoyed when certain people I love are having a good day, or reach a goal they had been striving for and relaying the process of to me all the while, etc. But for people I hate being happy...Either I'm jealous, or plain pissed off at the world. It's not for me to say who gets to be happy, but sweet bejeebus.


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## Glass Child

Keeping others from harm and comforting them makes me happy. 
Don't care much for anything else, but I'm flattered if anyone finds me humorous or nice to be around.


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## TobeyJuarez

it honestly depends on who it is, what it is that they are happy about, and how they are exppressing thier happiness...

if its a kid i didnt particularly like in high school, happy about getting away with robbing a bank, and he is celebrating by firing a gun in the air than im gonna be petty pissed about the whole situation


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## BlazingLazer

Other than maybe my father and _maybe_ a few select other people occasionally, I feel significantly worse when other people are happy (or more specifically, that their happiness is expressed to me).

I made a thread along these lines a while back, and it unsurprisingly failed to deter me from being convinced that more people than not just answer the politically correct answer of "yes", so they don't look bad.


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## AcidicAngie

*other peoples happiness makes me sick*

If i have to see one more god damn post about how awesome your life is, how your kids are awesome, how your job is awesome...i'm gonna get an awesome gun and shot you in the head...not really, but i would love too, more like i would shoot myself in the head so i don't have to see that f'n garbage anymore...


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## AcidicAngie

i have a fantasy about inviting all the bullies in my life, all the ex boyfriends...people who drive me mental..pay them to come if i have to..inviting them all to a lavish and beautiful party. open bar, beautiful decorations...ya know...a stunning place...than take the stage, thank everyone for showing up than blowing my head off in front of everyone so they can experience my pain for the rest of their lives and hope they suffer only a quarter of what i do...


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## To22

Happiness doesn't always infect me, nor sadness. I suppose it doesn't often make me happy, but I often appreciate someone else's good fortune. I wish everyone was happy.


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## Genetic Garbage

It doesn't make me happy per se but I am happy for them if they are happy and would never wish them any harm just because I am completely unhappy. I am not saying this to display a 'holier than thou' attitude or to shame people who want to bring others down because they are unhappy with their lives. I can perfectly see people feeling this way. I just don't like seeing people being stuck in a hole that they seem to be unable to escape from.


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## Serephina

I am able to relax more when I know my neighbours, friends, family, strangers are happy. I don't want to be part of their happiness.


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## ItsEasierToRun

Yes, I'd say my mood is greatly affected by the moods of the people I'm with..


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