What is Hedonic Treadmill and 7 Important Ways to Overcome It

Introduction

Happiness is often seen as a destination—something we achieve after reaching a major milestone, such as acquiring wealth, success, or love. However, psychological research suggests that while life events may temporarily change our happiness levels, we ultimately return to a baseline level of happiness. This concept, known as the hedonic treadmill or hedonic adaptation, explains why people continuously chase happiness but struggle to maintain it.

Understanding the Hedonic Treadmill

The hedonic treadmill refers to the tendency of humans to return to a stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative changes in their lives. This concept was first introduced by Brickman and Campbell (1971) and later expanded by researchers such as Frederick and Loewenstein (1999) and Diener, Lucas, and Scollon (2006).

How the Hedonic Treadmill Works

• When individuals experience positive events (e.g., winning the lottery, getting a promotion, buying a new car), they experience an initial increase in happiness. However, over time, they adapt to the new situation, and their happiness levels return to baseline.
• Conversely, negative events (e.g., losing a job, experiencing a breakup, suffering from illness) often lead to a temporary decrease in happiness, but over time, individuals adapt and recover.
• This means that external circumstances have less long-term impact on happiness than we expect.

Scientific Evidence Supporting the Hedonic Treadmill

Some scientific evidence for the hedonic treadmill includes-

1. Lottery Winners and Accident Victims Study One of the most famous studies on hedonic adaptation was conducted by Brickman, Coates, and Janoff-Bulman (1978). They compared the happiness levels of three groups-
   • Lottery winners
   • Individuals who became paraplegic or quadriplegic due to accidents
   • A control group The results showed that lottery winners experienced a temporary spike in happiness but eventually returned to their previous baseline. Conversely, accident victims experienced an initial drop in happiness but, over time, adapted to their new circumstances and returned close to their original happiness levels.
2. Wealth and Happiness
   • Easterlin (1974) found that while wealthier individuals tend to report higher happiness levels at any given time, long-term increases in national income do not lead to sustained increases in overall happiness.
   • Further studies have shown that beyond a certain income threshold (approximately $75,000 per year, according to Kahneman & Deaton, 2010), additional wealth has diminishing returns on happiness.
3. Marriage and Happiness
   • Lucas, Clark, Georgellis, and Diener (2003) found that newlyweds experience a boost in happiness after marriage, but their happiness levels return to baseline within two years.
   • The same study found that divorce leads to an initial decline in happiness, but many individuals eventually return to their previous baseline.

The Evolutionary Basis of the Hedonic Treadmill

From an evolutionary standpoint, hedonic adaptation may have adaptive advantages-

• Survival Mechanism- Humans evolved to be goal-driven. If happiness was permanent after achieving success, motivation to seek improvement would decline.
• Emotional Regulation- If people remained permanently distressed after negative events, it would hinder their ability to function.
• Comparison and Social Adaptation- Humans constantly compare themselves to others (social comparison theory), which prevents stagnation but also leads to hedonic adaptation.

Negative Implications of the Hedonic Treadmill

Some of the negative ways that hedonic treadmill influences the individual includes-

1. The Endless Pursuit of More- People falsely believe that achieving external goals (e.g., more money, a bigger house, a better job) will lead to permanent happiness. This results in a never-ending cycle of desire and dissatisfaction, known as the “hedonic treadmill.”
2. Materialism and Consumerism- Many individuals equate material wealth with happiness, leading to compulsive consumption and financial stress. Studies show that materialistic people report lower life satisfaction (Dittmar, 2008).
3. Emotional Resilience vs. Complacency- While hedonic adaptation helps people recover from negative events, it may also lead to complacency, preventing individuals from appreciating positive aspects of their lives.

Strategies to Overcome the Hedonic Treadmill

While hedonic adaptation is a natural psychological process, several strategies can counteract its effects and cultivate lasting happiness.

1. Gratitude Practices

• Regularly expressing gratitude helps reframe one’s mindset toward appreciation rather than constant desire.
• Research by Emmons & McCullough (2003) found that individuals who practiced gratitude journals reported higher levels of well-being.

2. Pursuing Intrinsic Goals

• Focusing on intrinsic goals (personal growth, relationships, community involvement) rather than extrinsic goals (wealth, status, fame) leads to higher well-being (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

3. Engaging in Novel Experiences

• Instead of accumulating possessions, spending money on experiences (e.g., travel, learning new skills, hobbies) leads to longer-lasting happiness (Van Boven & Gilovich, 2003).
• Why? Experiences provide novelty and meaningful memories, reducing adaptation.

4. Practicing Mindfulness and Meditation

• Mindfulness reduces automatic adaptation by increasing present-moment awareness.
• Studies show that meditation decreases activity in the default mode network (DMN), which is responsible for mind-wandering and dissatisfaction (Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010).

5. Cultivating Social Relationships

• Strong social connections are one of the biggest predictors of happiness (Diener & Seligman, 2002).
• Unlike material wealth, relationships do not lose value over time if nurtured properly.

6. Engaging in Acts of Kindness

• Helping others through acts of kindness boosts happiness levels and provides lasting fulfillment (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005).

7. Adapting to a Growth Mindset

• Viewing happiness as a continuous journey rather than a fixed goal encourages lifelong learning and adaptability.
• Individuals who engage in self-improvement activities report higher long-term well-being (Dweck, 2006).

Read More- Growth Mindset

Conclusion

The hedonic treadmill theory demonstrates why achieving external success does not guarantee long-term happiness. Humans naturally adapt to both positive and negative life events, which means that sustainable happiness requires intentional effort. By practicing gratitude, prioritizing relationships, focusing on personal growth, and embracing new experiences, individuals can break free from the cycle of temporary pleasure and cultivate lasting well-being.

Understanding the science of happiness allows us to make better life choices—not chasing fleeting pleasure but building meaningful, fulfilling lives.

References

Brickman, P., & Campbell, D. T. (1971). Hedonic relativism and planning the good society. Adaptation-Level Theory: A Symposium, 287-302.

Brickman, P., Coates, D., & Janoff-Bulman, R. (1978). Lottery winners and accident victims: Is happiness relative? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36(8), 917-927.

Diener, E., Lucas, R. E., & Scollon, C. N. (2006). Beyond the hedonic treadmill: Revising the adaptation theory of well-being. American Psychologist, 61(4), 305-314.

Easterlin, R. A. (1974). Does economic growth improve the human lot? Nations and Households in Economic Growth, 89-125.

Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. PNAS, 107(38), 16489-16493.

Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111-131.