With the paperback release of Thrilled to Death: How the Enless Pursuit of Pleasure is Leaving Us Numb, friends are calling.
I didn’t read the book by Dr. Archibald Hart, a clinical psychologist, however, The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry questioned the new data. The book itself has been around for years, but now Dr. Hart reports new brain imaging studies.
Despite some raised eyebrows, he seems to make an interesting point – the rise in what is called anhedonia. This is basically the opppposite of hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure) only in this case, it is the inability to experience pleasure or happiness because of “over seeking” — emotions, sex, relationships, food and drugs.
One friend wrote, “I was amazed to hear of mice driving themselves to exhaustion and death with pleasure!”
Dr. Hart seems to be advocating a bit of boredom in our lives — it might be healthy and relaxing. Here is a link: Amazon.com Thrilled to Death and you can take a look at the table of contents and his steps for overcoming anhedonia. Just remember gratitude, laughter, and love goes a long way to fill an empty heart.
Copyright 2008 Rita Watson