Happiness Is So Sad
The American Psychological Association defines happiness as “an emotion of joy, gladness, satisfaction, and well-being,” and defines sadness as “an emotional state of unhappiness, ranging in intensity from mild to extreme and usually aroused by the loss of something that is highly valued.”
Given these definitions, I now turn to the electronic dance music (EDM) supergroup Swedish House Mafia. They recently released a song entitled “Happiness Is So Sad”, featuring singer and songwriter Lykke Li. Lyrics include the following:
[Verse]
I dare, oh I dare you
Run away, go, I dare you
Tongue-tied, what you hiding?
One last drop of darkness
Can’t feel where your heart is
Blue-eyed, what you hiding?
[Chorus]
Maybe, I can’t hold you back [x2]
Happiness is so, so, so sad
Maybe, I can’t hold you back
[Post-Chorus]
You back [x4]
[Build]
It’s not the rain; I’m out here crying (You back)
It’s not a smile; inside, I’m dying (You back)
[Drop]
It’s not the rain; I’m out here crying
(You back, you back, you back)
It’s not a smile; inside, I’m dying
(You back, you back, you back)
When viewed through the proverbial lens of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I recognize that happiness isn’t akin to sadness. Rather, what one believes about an otherwise happy situation is what causes an unpleasant emotional experience in the form of sadness.
Now, I encourage you to pay attention to what beliefs you have about something along the lines of an intimate partner relationship, as presumably addressed in “Happiness Is So Sad”, and then change your beliefs in order to alter a sad experience to one of happiness (or mere acceptance).
If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As the world’s foremost EDM-influenced REBT psychotherapist—promoting content related to EDM, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
Photo credit, Designed by Magnific, fair use
References:
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Arousal. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/arousal
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Happiness. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/happiness
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Sadness. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/sadness
Art24world. (n.d.). Happy laughing emoji beside a sad crying emoji on gradient green to red background [Image]. Magnific. Retrieved from https://www.magnific.com/premium-ai-image/happy-laughing-emoji-beside-sad-crying-emoji-gradient-green-red-background_355242120.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=30&uuid=41480193-22c6-4ffc-b1d7-c77acb0ce441&track=ais_hybrid&query=happy+sad
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Swedish House Mafia and Lykke Li. (2026, September 28). Swedish House Mafia, Lykke Li - Happiness Is So Sad (Official music video) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/bkeYOAbPCYg?si=kclxsXd77vik_tkz
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Lykke Li. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lykke_Li
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Supergroup (music). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergroup_(music)
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Swedish House Mafia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_House_Mafia
