--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The opposite of happiness is unhappiness…" description: "\"“The opposite of happiness is unhappiness, not depression.”\" — Gretchen Rubin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/gretchen-rubin-867_depression_the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness_826142.png" --- # The opposite of happiness is unhappiness, not depression. ![“The opposite of happiness is unhappiness, not depression.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/gretchen-rubin-867_depression_the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness_826142.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/gretchen-rubin-867_depression_the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness_826142.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/gretchen-rubin-867_depression_the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness_826142.png) > ““The opposite of happiness is unhappiness, not depression.”” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unhappiness, not depression, is the direct opposite of happiness; they are distinct states. **In simple terms:** Unhappiness opposes happiness, not depression. Key Takeaway Distinguish unhappiness from depression. Themes mental health emotions well‑being psychology Mood analytical thoughtful Type psychological emotional educational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - self‑reflection - mood tracking - coaching Key Concepts Affective states cognitive appraisal mental health terminology Questions to Reflect On - What makes you feel unhappy versus depressed? - How can you shift from unhappiness to contentment? A Different Perspective Depression may coexist with happiness, complicating the binary view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) ## Related quotes > [In all of my looking at happiness, one thing I noticed right away is that the opposite of happiness isn't unhappiness or even depression,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/in-all-of-my-looking-at-happiness-one-thing-i-noticed-right-away-is/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [The opposite of love is indifference, and the opposite of happiness is boredom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-opposite-of-love-is-indifference-and-the-opposite-of-happiness-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When our wishes are not fulfilled we usually experience unpleasant feelings, such as unhappiness or depression; this is our own problem because we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsang-gyatso/when-our-wishes-are-not-fulfilled-we-usually-experience-unpleasant/) [Kelsang Gyatso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsang-gyatso/) > [Within the human frequency of perception, what you see is what you get. I would classify the bottom of the band as severe unhappiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/within-the-human-frequency-of-perception-what-you-see-is-what-you-get/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The fact that there is always a positive side to life is the one thing that gives me a lot of happiness. This world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-fact-that-there-is-always-a-positive-side-to-life-is-the-one/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [There is neither happiness nor unhappiness in this world; there is only the comparison of one state with another. Only a man who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/there-is-neither-happiness-nor-unhappiness-in-this-world-there-is/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [There is, after all, a kind of happiness in unhappiness, if it's the right unhappiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/there-is-after-all-a-kind-of-happiness-in-unhappiness-if-it-s-the/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [Joy is not like happiness, unhappiness. It is singular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/joy-is-not-like-happiness-unhappiness-it-is-singular/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [No matter when, at whatever moment, if she were asked what she was thinking about she could reply quite correctly - one thing, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/no-matter-when-at-whatever-moment-if-she-were-asked-what-she-was/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Ah, how little you know of human happiness - you comfortable and benevolent people! For happiness and unhappiness are brother and sister - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/ah-how-little-you-know-of-human-happiness-you-comfortable-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Both happiness and unhappiness depend on perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/both-happiness-and-unhappiness-depend-on-perception/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Happiness and unhappiness differ as a bucket hammered from gold differs from one pressed in tin ... Each carries the same water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/happiness-and-unhappiness-differ-as-a-bucket-hammered-from-gold/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Happiness or unhappiness is often a matter of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-or-unhappiness-is-often-a-matter-of-choice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness and unhappiness are not primarily created by the material world or the physical body. First and foremost, they are decisions of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/happiness-and-unhappiness-are-not-primarily-created-by-the-material/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Depression quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [“my stomach turned and burned with the acid of failure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-ames/my-stomach-turned-and-burned-with-the-acid-of-failure/) Heidi Ames > [That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/that-is-the-real-problem-of-depression-a-condition-which-will-affect/) [Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/) > [Im tired, tired of putting more effort than you do. Im tired of always having to start the conversation and if I dont, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-tired-of-putting-more-effort-than-you-do-im-tired-of-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [“Why in depression" "If we are human, why not have the right to smile, Why in depression, young, and beautiful as earth, Why in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanilsa-pena/why-in-depression-if-we-are-human-why-not-have-the-right-to-smile-why/) Yanilsa pena > [“Depression makes me stronger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayamalan/depression-makes-me-stronger/) Shayamalan > [“Shorter believes that psychosomatic illnesses (such as leg paralysis at the turn of the twentieth century or multiple personality disorder at the turn of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-watters/shorter-believes-that-psychosomatic-illnesses-such-as-leg-paralysis/) [Ethan Watters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-watters/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Repression will provoke rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-williamson/repression-will-provoke-rebellion/) Hugh Williamson > [I'm certainly not a perfect mother, but I'm trying to be what my mother wasn't for me. My mother's battled depression, so I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-hamill/i-m-certainly-not-a-perfect-mother-but-i-m-trying-to-be-what-my/) [Dorothy Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-hamill/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Scars by Papa Roach. <3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophielianne/scars-by-papa-roach-3/) Sophielianne [Browse all 4,965 Depression quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The opposite of happiness is unhappiness, not depression.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gretchen Rubin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness-not-depression/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Depression" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness-not-depression/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/gretchen-rubin-867_depression_the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness_826142.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/gretchen-rubin-867_depression_the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness_826142.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/gretchen-rubin-867_depression_the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness_826142.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The opposite of happiness is unhappiness, not depression.” — Gretchen Rubin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gretchen Rubin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The opposite of happiness is unhappiness,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness-not-depression/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-opposite-of-happiness-is-unhappiness-not-depression/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```