Positive psychology is a scientific field that focuses exclusively on the positive aspects of people and life. It covers topics like well-being, happiness, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, optimism, and so on. The premise behind the movement is that for many decades, psychology as a field had been too focused on the so-called ‘disease model’, and in treating mental illness. While this is obviously an important part of psychology (in fact, a number of mental disorders that were once though of as untreatable, can now treated), positive psychologists believe that a fulfilling life is not merely the absence of disease, but is the addition of other factors.

But just because the field is focused on the positive aspects of life, this does not mean that it dismissed the real problems that people face in their lives. It simply proposes that positive experiences also deserve to be studied, in addition, but not instead of, negative or neutral experiences.

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