Breaking this cycle requires mindfulness, self-reflection, and no small amount of willpower. It’s not easy to put a stop to a behavioral pattern that we have been subconsciously repeating our whole lives. Most of us continue this cycle well into adulthood, and it is precisely why so many people who have so much can still feel unhappy or unfulfilled in their lives. We start going through this process very early in childhood when we’re convinced that a new toy or that tantalizing ice cream sundae will make us happy forever. Building off of the concept of hedonism, which is the mindless pursuit of pleasure, hedonic adaptation refers to the temporary spike in happiness we feel after a positive event like buying or experiencing something new.īut after the initial joy wears off (which can take days, months, or even years), your brain will stop receiving as much enjoyment from the new thing because it has become used to the pleasure and joy it provides.

“Hedonic adaptation” is a fancy phrase for a simple and familiar concept. What you have just experienced is called “hedonic adaptation.” After a while, it becomes just another thing in your life, and before long, you start thinking about the next thing that you can’t live without. You slowly become used to having it as a part of your life, and eventually, you completely forget what it was like to live without it. You’re still happy with your shiny new thing, but it doesn’t necessarily bring you unbridled joy like it used to. It was just as great as you thought it would be, and it was the first thing you tell your friends about when you see them.īut over time, that feeling starts to wane. When the day finally came, you were over the moon.

Deep down, you knew that it would improve your life and make you happier, and you found yourself counting down the days until you could get it. Whatever it was, you wanted it so badly you couldn’t go a day without thinking about it. Something like a cutting-edge TV, a fancy new outfit, or a brand-new car. Think about the last exciting big purchase you made.