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The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT Paperback – June 3, 2008

by Russ Harris (Author), Steven C. Hayes PhD (Foreword)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 5,073 ratings
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Build a more satisfying and meaningful life with this best-selling guide to freeing yourself from depression, anxiety, and insecurity through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Are you, like millions of Americans, caught in the happiness trap? Russ Harris explains that the way most of us go about trying to find happiness ends up making us miserable, driving the epidemics of stress, anxiety, and depression. This empowering book presents  the insights and techniques of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) a revolutionary new psychotherapy based on cutting-edge research in behavioral psychology. By clarifying your values and developing mindfulness (a technique for living fully in the present moment), ACT helps you escape the happiness trap and find true satisfaction in life.

The techniques presented in The Happiness Trap will help readers to:

• Reduce stress and worry
• Handle painful feelings and thoughts more effectively
• Break self-defeating habits
• Overcome insecurity and self-doubt
• Create a rich, full, and meaningful life

“ . . . a powerful beacon showing us another way forward.” —Steven Hayes, PhD, author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Trumpeter
  4. Publication date
    June 3, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1590305841
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1590305843
  8. See all details
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Popular Highlights in this book
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Previous page
  1. Any activity can be a toward move or an away move, depending on the situation.
    Highlighted by 1,063 Kindle readers
  2. But there’s another meaning of happiness that’s radically different: the experience of living a rich and meaningful life.
    Highlighted by 910 Kindle readers
  3. As a result, we all spend a lot of time worrying about things that, more often than not, never happen.
    Highlighted by 618 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

Want to learn even more empowering insights and techniques?

Don't miss the brand new Second Edition of The Happiness Trap!

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the happiness trap second edition the happiness trap first edition
The Happiness Trap (Second Edition) The Happiness Trap (First Edition)
Customer Reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
5,073
4.6 out of 5 stars
5,073
Price $10.71 $16.95
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Physician Harris challenges some basic assumptions about the all-American tradition of the pursuit of happiness, drawing heavily on the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) work of University of Nevada professor Steven Hayes, which argues that happiness is not a normal state of being; pain is inevitable and what matters is how it is dealt with. The ACT prescription is to be mindful of negative thoughts and emotions, reconnect with core values, act in accordance with values and with the psychological flexibility to adapt to any situation. ACT techniques include diffusion—decreasing the impact of self-defeating thoughts (without making them go away), turning off the struggle switch, practicing expansion to make room for self-observation and connecting with the present moment. While these concepts might sound like typical self-help fare, Harris makes key distinctions: ACT is not a form of meditation or a path to enlightenment—to reap the benefits, action is imperative. More of an ACT primer than anything else, there's enough interesting content here to keep the reader, um, happy. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Carefully and creatively presents techniques that anyone can use to undermine struggle, avoidance, and loss of the moment. Harris systematically explores how we get into the 'happiness trap' and then shines a powerful beacon showing us another way forward."—Steven Hayes, PhD, author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life

"Eminently practical and readable. This book reveals that when calibrating one's life according to acceptance and valued action, happiness is a pleasant sideshow in the larger carnival of an engaged and purposeful existence."—Zindel Segal, PhD, author of The Mindful Way through Depression

"An exciting alternative to the usual approach of so many self-help books. Harris explains how we can work with ourselves as we are, rather than aggressively trying to alter ourselves. I'm impressed by the simple and effective methods of ACT."—David Richo, PhD, author of The Five Things We Cannot Change

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Trumpeter; 1st edition (June 3, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1590305841
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1590305843
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 5,073 ratings

About the author

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Russ Harris

Russ Harris

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Dr Russ Harris is world-renowned trainer in ACT, a therapist and a coach, with a background in medicine (as a general practitioner). He has run hundreds of workshops, providing training over fifty thousand health professionals around the world. He is the author of several bestselling ACT-based textbooks and self-help books. The Happiness Trap is an international bestseller, with over a million copies sold worldwide and editions published in over thirty languages.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
5,073 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Steve Ybarra Jr
5.0 out of 5 stars Good info
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2024
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I like the way it gives tricks to handle life, very informative..
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Tallman807
5.0 out of 5 stars Combining years of useful techniques into one book
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2023
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Some of the negative reviews state that the book is meant as an intro, or talks down to you. On the contrary, I've done years of therapy, and the book takes a lot of concepts you may or may not know, and teaches you how to apply them to your situation. Read it, do the activities, and practice practice practice. Like anything that is worth anything, it takes time and practice. No book is going to trasnform your life if you just read it, say hmm, and put it in the shelf. This has been the first self help book I didn't put down and say, "yea great now what". It isn't some BS think positive and your dreams will come true junk. It is reasonable, well thought out, and literally changed my life after years of struggle. But of course you need to apply it and practice, the work is worth it.
45 people found this helpful
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Sophie the Wonderdog
5.0 out of 5 stars If you are an “overthinker,” you need to read this!
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2022
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As a person who is always overthinking, who has accused my own brain of constantly being “mean to me”, I asked my therapist to recommend a book. I don’t know why, because I’ve never gotten through any book like this before, and I’ve tried many, but I can say this is the most life-changing book I’ve ever read. I have never felt so completely understood. This book is extremely practical and easy to understand. Actually doing the suggested exercises helped a lot.

I feel like this is a book that shouldn’t be rushed. It is good, in my opinion, to let each of the ideas “marinate” for awhile! The author encourages it, too.

The author periodically reminds the reader not to expect change overnight. Although completely reframing the way you think does take time, I have felt immediate relief from this book.

It has helped me also to keep notes in the margins for quick review from time to time.

Stop overthinking whether or not to buy this book, or “what if there’s a better book out there?” You won’t regret it!
48 people found this helpful
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JH
4.0 out of 5 stars Great content, but way too chatty and argumentative
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
There is a lot of useful information here that is well worth knowing and putting to use. But the author presents the content as if the reader is a firm skeptic who needs endless convincing that ACT is worthwhile.

Others might enjoy the very chatty nature of this book but I don't. Reading it, I feel like telling the author, "Ok already, stop trying to convince me with over simplified anecdotes and get to the point." I'd love a shorter version that explains ACT and how to best to use it.
7 people found this helpful
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Bonk
5.0 out of 5 stars a life changing (for some) narrative
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2012
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I am a middle-aged white male with a typical job, and I lead a typical life. I don't know if my opinion will persuade anyone to pick up this book. To be honest, I am not terribly concerned about that. I suppose I am writing this primarily as a thank you to the author. The book changed my life forever--in a good way. It brought together many things that have interested me for many years and made sense of them. It took the things I loved most about Zen Buddhism and framed them in a largely scientific context. In this scientific characterization, the power of these concepts is magnified and they are much more accessible to westerners. The writing seems compatible with ideas presented in formal epistemology. The recommended actions and ideas seem at home in the mind of an epistemic skeptic. More than just the book, ACT itself deserves much praise. To me, ACT seems a natural extension of evolutionary psychology. They fit together so seemlessly, at least in my opinion. For those in whom ACT is destined to resonate, the book is definitely a life changer. I thought he brilliantly and patiently encouraged the reader to participate in the many exercises presented in the text. The exercises are not embellishments or superficial ornaments. They are essential challenges to help one become immersed in the theory, help one reach competency in daily life. The exercises are extremely on target and extremely well balanced and measured. One of my favorite things is that when you finish the book, perhaps having left some of the exercises undone, it instantly becomes an incredible reference for the world view it describes. You can go back and finish the exercises. You can flip to a random page and study it. You can systematical refresh yourself on some pre-selected topic. In short, you can become and remain very, very familiar with the material. I am a little sheepish to admit this, but this is the best book I have ever read. I don't mean that it outdances the prose of Tolstoy (etc.). I mean in terms of pure impact on my life. I am sure the book would not effect everyone in this way. As we all know, life is a problem with many solutions (or something along those lines). Some of us might like an entirely different intellectual framework from which to view and interact with the world around us. For them, this book will probably seem ordinary, or worse. But, as for myself, I have found a magnificent text to aid me in the days ahead. My only betrayal of its role is that I know I will always be on the hunt, to some extent, for an even better formulation. Until I find one, I am set.
129 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Isa Ab
5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my life
Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book changed my life (as a person living with anxiety and depression disorders). I have read again and again. I still refer to it regularly even after many years. Psychological tools and approach are life-changing if you invest yourself in the process. Moreover: Easy and enjoyable to read. Worth many thousands in psychotherapy. Important note: Being primarily French speaking, I have bought the French translation afterwards and it quickly felt badly translated, I could not continue reading the French translation after the first few chapters. I would stick to the original English version if your English level is sufficient (it is very accessible).
5 people found this helpful
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Monique 💘
5.0 out of 5 stars Livro excelente
Reviewed in Brazil on June 27, 2023
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Muito bom!
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Juan Jose Garcia
5.0 out of 5 stars Regalo
Reviewed in Spain on January 12, 2024
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Ha sido un regalo , y ha gustado.
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Gill
5.0 out of 5 stars A helpful read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2023
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I was told by my daughter to buy this, only just started but I think I will enjoy when I get into.
Daughters review to me was she was recommended by a colleague who works in that field to help with anxiety! Hope this helps.
2 people found this helpful
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Niels Tielemans
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book
Reviewed in the Netherlands on November 23, 2023
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Amazing! Worth reading
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