FAQ > About Subjective Well-Being (Happiness and Life Satisfaction), by Dr. Diener > Q: Is it possible to be too happy?
A: In large surveys very few people say that they are extraordinarily happy - that they are mostly elated and exuberant. For instance, only a few percent of people in most surveys respond they are a 10 on a 1 to 10 happiness scale, and perhaps only 5 to 10 percent say they are a 10 on life satisfaction. We find that those few individuals who say they are extraordinarily happy are likely in a few years to be back down to a lower level. So we might not be "built" to remain at the elated level, because this might be dysfunctional. There is not evidence yet on whether people who are a 10, or stay at a 10 (very rare) would fare well or poorly in our society.
Some people are manic - they have lots of energy, and often have high moods. These people sometimes are very productive, if they can harness their energy.
Last updated on September 14, 2007 by Dr. Walt