Questão 42 - EEAR 1° Etapa 2024

Read the text and answer question.

 

     The pursuit of happiness can end in pain

Maggie Mulqueen, psychologist

 

    [1] Focusing on happiness can lead to perfectionistic 
tendencies as people try to sustain what is actually a brief 
and elusive emotion. Instead of promoting happiness as 
the elixir for life, our society needs to explore how

[5] people can find contentment. Unlike happiness, a state of 
contentment is long-lasting and provides a strong base 
for mental health. Discovering what makes us feel 
content and pursuing that help protect us from stress. The 
pressure people feel to be happy can also be corrosive to 

[10] establishing a strong sense of self. A patient of mine 
recently lost 75 pounds. Everyone who sees her 
congratulates her and expects her to be happy about this 
accomplishment.Rather than being supported by all 
these compliments, she feels tremendous pressure to

[15] present a happy face to the outside world. How gratifying 
it______for her if people asked “How do you 
feel?” rather than stating “You must be so happy!”

Adapted from https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/suicide-student- athletes-happiness-contentment-rcna27992.

According to the text, we can infer that