Freudenfreude meaning

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Congratulating your colleague on a promotion; celebrating your friend's engagement, or even, enjoying your sister's IG holiday pics when you're sat on the sofa You've probably heard that empathy — rather than the prickle of jealousy when yet another sunset scape takes hold of your screen — is a good trait to possess. But science is suggesting that finding joy in someone else's fortune doesn't just make you a better person; it has a tangible impact on your own mental health too. The term being used to describe it? Derived from the German word for 'joy', the term 'freudenfreude' — the antithesis of 'schadenfreude'; taking pleasure from someone's misfortune — describes being happy for someone else's joy or success. Think of it like living vicariously through someone else's joy.

Freudenfreude meaning

We can all probably admit to feeling a little bit of schadenfreude at times, that handy German word for feeling at least a little bit good about someone else's misfortune. It's what we often feel when the bad guy gets his due at the end of a movie. Many people around the globe have experienced some difficult years recently, to put it mildly. It seems that in response, people are looking for ways to find and share more joy instead of feeling happy about someone else feeling sad. Some researchers are calling this new feeling freudenfreude pronounced "froy-din-froy-da". The German word freude means joy, though the word freudenfreude isn't actually a German word. It's a brand-new made-up word — a neologism — created to mean the opposite of schadenfreude. So what is the opposite of schadenfreude? It's positive empathy, or the ability to feel someone else's positive emotions as if they were your own. A small study published in August in the journal Psychological Science showed that this kind of empathy can make people kinder, more resilient and more satisfied with their lives. It can also motivate people to cooperate even if an argument arises. Emily Anhalt, a clinical psychologist and cofounder of the mental health app Coa, told The New York Times that schadenfreude can be an "ego protector. But studies have found that too much of a schadenfreude thing can make people less empathetic and compassionate toward others.

Somewhere in between might be writing a heartfelt letter.

Did you? Celebrate the personal win with them. Try to fight back a gnawing, unexpected feeling of jealousy. She said that comparison is a big part of how our brain judges reality, but we can learn to use this process more productively, especially within our friendships. Franco , a psychologist and friendship expert. All of it deepens our joys. We tend to think our friends need us most during the hard times: a job loss, getting dumped.

Congratulating your colleague on a promotion; celebrating your friend's engagement, or even, enjoying your sister's IG holiday pics when you're sat on the sofa You've probably heard that empathy — rather than the prickle of jealousy when yet another sunset scape takes hold of your screen — is a good trait to possess. But science is suggesting that finding joy in someone else's fortune doesn't just make you a better person; it has a tangible impact on your own mental health too. The term being used to describe it? Derived from the German word for 'joy', the term 'freudenfreude' — the antithesis of 'schadenfreude'; taking pleasure from someone's misfortune — describes being happy for someone else's joy or success. Think of it like living vicariously through someone else's joy. And the best part is that it doesn't have to be exclusive to the big wins or successes of others. These small acts could be anything from celebrating a colleague meeting a tough deadline or as simple as acknowledging someone else's restful weekend. As for what someone else's happiness could do for your own?

Freudenfreude meaning

Given that the two are opposite concepts, one tends to show up in the other's absence. According to research, a great way to pinpoint someone as fitting into more of the freudenfreude framework as opposed to schadenfreude is to look for signs of empathy , a trait that psychotherapist Aimee Daramus, PsyD , says is key to maintaining healthy relationships. That is, people who can empathetically feel your wins are likely to help you feel even better about them. But how, exactly, does freudenfreude lead to deepening a relationship? It has to do with providing healthy support in positive times just as much as in trying times, says Dr. Think about it: The very notion of "leaning on a friend for support in times of need" implies that support is largely only needed when things are tough. But that's not the case—it's important to celebrate wins, too. It's great when friends are available to help sort out problems and stressors, but we also need to clock the successes as well, she adds. While certain folks may be predisposed to practicing freudenfreude, it's also something anyone can learn and mindfully introduce into their relationships by letting loved ones know when they're proud of or happy for them. And the more you express those feelings, the more adept you may become at experiencing them period.

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Look for moments when your friend is sharing an accomplishment and take a pause. And the best part is that it doesn't have to be exclusive to the big wins or successes of others. Remember: You benefit from this, too. We hear this word used more and more often, in psychology, in sociology, and in day-to-day conversation. Collins Word of the Day. Paul Noble Method. Two clicks install ». English Dictionary. Thematic word lists. Quiz Mandarin Chinese confusables.

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Can we be conscious of an emotion when we have no word to describe it? We hear this word used more and more often, in psychology, in sociology, and in day-to-day conversation. Thanks for your vote! Try to fight back a gnawing, unexpected feeling of jealousy. To mindfully practice freudenfreude, first be observant and then make a note to celebrate the good things that are happening to folks around you. Become an Insider. Freudenfreude Is the Joyous Opposite of Schadenfreude. Japanese to English. Create a new account. News U. The Benefits of Freudenfreude Emily Anhalt, a clinical psychologist and cofounder of the mental health app Coa, told The New York Times that schadenfreude can be an "ego protector.