By Susan Williams
Susan Williams, MEd, RH(AHG)Feeling depressed? Try three quick strategies for feeling more joy!
A promising new approach for treating depression is shifting the focus from simply reducing sadness to helping people genuinely experience joy again.
Researchers studied a therapy called positive affect treatment, or PAT, which is designed to help people rebuild feelings of pleasure, motivation, connection, and meaning. The therapy encourages patients to intentionally:
- Plan positive activities.
- Pay closer attention to enjoyable experiences.
- Practice savoring moments that feel rewarding or emotionally meaningful.
In randomized clinical trials, PAT outperformed traditional therapies in increasing positive emotions, and in reducing negative emotions like sadness, anxiety, and hopelessness.
Researchers expected PAT to mainly improve happiness while conventional treatments handled negative feelings. Instead, PAT proved more effective across both areas.
Scientists believe the therapy works by reactivating the brain’s reward system, which often becomes less responsive in people experiencing depression and anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure or excitement from normally enjoyable experiences.
Although more research with larger groups is still needed, many psychologists see the findings as an important shift in how depression may be treated in the future.
Researchers also say the lessons can apply to everyday life. Making plans even when motivation is low, noticing and savoring positive moments, and intentionally looking for small sources of meaning or hope may gradually strengthen emotional resilience and improve overall well-being.
More reading:
- “Positive Affect Treatment for Depression, Anxiety, and Low Positive Affect: A Randomized Clinical Trial” by Alicia E Meuret, David Rosenfield, Emily Wang, Christina M Hough, Thomas Ritz, and Michelle G. Craske, JAMA Network Open, April 24, 2026.
- “Reclaiming Joy With Positive Affect Treatment” by Nan J. Wise Ph.D., Psychology Today, May 12, 2026.
Susan Williams, MEd, RH (AHG), is a certified holistic nutritionist, yoga instructor, Duke trained National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and enthusiastic student of health for older citizens.
Disclaimer: Self Care posts are shared for information purposes only, and are never intended as individual medical advice nor as a substitute for healthcare services.