This Common Feeling May Be The Missing Piece In Mental Health
Key takeaways
- Author: Zhané Slambee May 16, 2026mindbodygreen editor By Zhané Slambee Image by Lyuba Burakova / Stocksy May 16, 2026You've done the work.
- So why does everything still feel so flat?
- If you've noticed that your anxiety or depression symptoms have improved but you still can't seem to feel excited, motivated, or genuinely happy, you're not imagining things.
Why this matters: practical guidance grounded in recent research or expert insight.
Author: Zhané Slambee May 16, 2026mindbodygreen editor By Zhané Slambee Image by Lyuba Burakova / Stocksy May 16, 2026You've done the work. Maybe you started therapy, adjusted your medication, or finally addressed the stress that was running your life into the ground. The panic attacks have stopped. The heaviness has lifted. By most measures, you're better.
So why does everything still feel so flat?
If you've noticed that your anxiety or depression symptoms have improved but you still can't seem to feel excited, motivated, or genuinely happy, you're not imagining things. New research1 suggests that reducing negative emotions and restoring positive ones are two separate processes, and most mental health treatments only address half the equation.