Cheer Quote by Harold H. Bloomfield
“Overly positive, horrendously cheerful people can make a depressed person even more depressed. In fact, perhaps the least helpful thing one can say to a depressed person is, "Cheer up!"”
About This Quote
Source Article: Psychology journal, 1998
Overly cheerful people can worsen depression; telling someone to "cheer up" is often unhelpful.
In simple terms: Excessive positivity may alienate depressed individuals.
Key Takeaway
Offer empathy rather than forced cheer.
Themes
mental health
empathy
communication
Mood
empathetic
cautious
Type
psychological
advice
When to use this quote
- counseling
- friendship
- online communities
- support groups
Key Concepts
support strategies
emotional intelligence
Questions to Reflect On
- Why does forced cheer feel dismissive?
- What supportive language works better?
A Different Perspective
Some may find positivity uplifting.
![“I think we mistake sadness for depression, because life is basically sad, and its the failure to recognize that that leads to this sort of resentment and bewilderment [...] It is, it is, and [..] you know, people just suddenly think that the world owes it to them to be happy, and they're not happy…” quote by Jeremy Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/203/jeremy-hardy-16496_depression_i-think-we-mistake-sadness-for-depressio_750769.jpg)
![“One thing I've learnt is you should never fight it. They're natural emotions and when you try and bottle everything up, that's what can make you depressed. Luckily I have fantastic memories [about my parents] and they really help.” quote by Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3cd/simon-cowell-1809_bottles_one-thing-i-ve-learnt-is-you-should-neve_1820253.jpg)
![“People had been so attached to the Diane [Cheers] character that audiences and producers found it difficult to think of me in any other terms. It took some time before people would consider me for other parts.” quote by Shelley Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7f6/shelley-long-20924_audience_people-had-been-so-attached-to-the-diane_16958.jpg)
