Can people be clinically happy?

[Francisco]

Basically the exact opposite of deep depression...

This new girl at work is always absurdly happy. I don't think there is anything wrong with being happy, but she's like... brainwashed happy. Happy to the point it pisses people off. I mean it, she farts sunshine and pukes rainbows, and periods out the theme to Super Mario.

She added me to Facebook, and all her status updates are along the lines of...

"I am soooo HAPPY!"

"I love all my friends!! :D"

"Good morning to everyone! I hope you all have a fantastic day!"

I mean, I consider myself a happy person - but I seriously think there's some sort of short circuitry afoot with this girl.

Further info: She moved here from another country... Nepal. Maybe things were extra shitty there and she's happy to be out?

[lovehatehero]

IMO people who act like that are the ones that are going to go nuts and kill everyone they know. But honestly, i know a few people like this but i cant help but wonder if it is such a front because something so terrible is bothering them that they act the extreme opposite to make up for it.

[Kaylia]

Bet she just pretend to be happy to make other people jealous, and it's working quite well!

And if that's how she deal with happiness, wait for her to crack the first time something goes really bad.

[scrockstar]

She could always have a mood disorder. Being "happy" all the time could be symptoms of Mania.

[Guitarman]

in parts of the world, people grow up being told to NEVER show unhappiness. I assume she had just such an upbringing. My sister-in-law is from the phillipines and she was raised this way. we had to tell her it's ok to show you're not happy sometimes.

[Silenka]

Maybe she's just making a monumental effort to be happy, because she wants to be that kind of person? I've made efforts to act a certain way before thinking I would like myself more if I was that type of person.

Though my money's on prozac, I had a friend who was clinically depressed and she had prescription happy pills and she was
CHEERFUL
ALL
THE
TIME

which I never could accomplish. I did sort of envy her for bringing cheer to everyone around her. Even though I knew she wasn't REALLY that happy when other people weren't looking.

[Xiona]

same way you can have a problem with dopamine reuptake being to quick you can also have it take to long. there is no reason to treat someone who is happy unless it negatively affects their lives the way any other disorder would

[Zilong]

If House was any indication, she'd probably has Chagas Disease

[Heavencloud]

If it pisses people off/puts her work/home life in danger like you say it could clinically be mania. Some people also act happy to hide how shitty their lives actually are :O

[alt]

Maybe she has Hypomania:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypomania

Sort of like a lesser version of full-blown Mania which definitely impairs normal day-to-day activity.

[Sekkite]

While being manic is indeed a diagnosable disorder, it usually doesn't come to the point of needing to be treated unless the person in question disregards risks entirely and feels that he/she can do anything without discernible consequence.

I'm afraid to take too many happy pills personally. I used to be prescribed too much of a certain type, and it caused some moderate-to-severe paranoia to come about randomly.

[Lordender]

I think its the case of it being extra shitty from Nepal. She's probably thankful she is in a new place and is being very positive about her new situation.

[Sol-Blackguy]

Make sure be nice to her, hold a conversation with her at least 4 times a week, and offer to buy her lunch every once in a while. She'll probably be nice enough to warn you not to come to work when she finally snaps.

Also, she could just be like that all the time. I had an english teacher just like that, nicest person I ever met.

[Darus Grey]

Could also just be a psycho/socio-path who figured that personality type is the best way to get ahead in her situation. Though psychopath personalities are excessively rare in women(insert misogynistic comment here).

[Titanss]

Naw OP is right. People from other countrys are way fucking happier when they come over here for some jacked up reason.

[Maguspk]

maybe she's just happy, hard to believe I know

[Francisco]

Typical Monday:

Any Given Co-Worker: How was your weekend?

Happy Girl: My weekend was amazing! I got a phone call from my good friend and enjoyed all the beautiful snow! But now, I am soooo happy to be back to work with all my co-worker friends!

Any Given Co-Worker: ...wtf?

(Everyone around here hates Monday and snow. The only people that like snow are skiers, and everyone hates skiers because they like snow. "I hope we get a lot of snow this winter!" -- "Fuck you!")

[Acturus]

Can people be clinically happy?

No. Happy is "normal". Clinically "happy" does not exist.

At the same time, "happy" is not the opposite of "depressed".

As others are describing, forms of mania are.

[Max™]

Maybe she suffers from a similar condition to premature ejaculation, but with happiness?

Premature enlightenment?

Sounds good to me, I'd like to subscribe to her newsletter.

[Dense]

For one, she's not overly cynical or jaded about the everyday troubles that you and your co-workers face. That cynicism bleeds into frustration and unhappiness.

I find typical Americans to be overly cynical, and overly jaded. However, the balance, is that in the same culture you also have extremely passionate people. Perhaps in such circumstances it should be refreshing to have another perspective?