It is easy to believe that you have a broken brain when you feel mentally ill, but anxiety and depression are natural conditions and remnants from ancient times when we risked dying of starvation and infections. We are not made to be content and happy all the time – if that were the case, our ancestors would not have survived for very long. Anders Hansen shows us how our mind works and instils hope in that we can indeed feel well in today’s stressful and digitally connected society. To succeed, we need to take better care of our brain and body – and perhaps also stop constantly chasing happiness.

”Kidneys evolve. Lungs evolve. As do brains, and in ways relevant to our pursuit of happiness and our vulnerabilities to mental illness. In The Happiness Cure, psychiatrist Anders Hansen explains how our brains have evolved more slowly in these realms than has our lifestyle, and the malaise that this mismatch produces. This wonderful book is steeped in insights, clear explanations and empathy. Most of all, it imparts deep wisdom about how we should live our lives.​”
–Robert Sapolsky, Professor in biology and neurology at Stanford University, and New York Times bestselling author

“Anders Hansen’s work is the antidote to our modern-day struggles.”
– Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Physician and No. 1 international bestselling author

“The Happiness Cure is a fascinating exploration of the ways in which our ancient neurologic wiring is mismatched for the modern ecosystem. By understanding depression and anxiety through the lens of evolution, we can make sense of the growing despair in the world today and do something about it. This is a must read for anyone hoping to understand the human brain.”
–Dr. Anna Lembke, New York Times bestselling author of Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

“By describing our minds as the products of evolution, Hansen shows invaluable new ways for understanding and living with our most important mental ups and downs. The Happiness Cure uses direct and accessible language to present the exciting promise of a scientifically informed psychiatry.”
– Richard Wrangham, English anthropologist and bestselling author, Harvard University

“Anders Hansen is a highly regarded scientific communicator who, in this book, seeks the keys to our well-being through human evolution. It is both an encouraging and a comforting message which describes how our brains are wired for survival, rather than constant well-being.”
– Thomas Perlmann, Professor Karolinska Institute, secretary of the Nobel Assembly and the Nobel Committee

“The market is flooded with books on how to achieve good mental health, including everything from meditation and mindfulness to treatment with SSRI medication. But the brain is not developed for our well-being, but rather for our survival and reproduction. Stress states, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and even ADHD and autism spectrum diagnoses have evolutionary benefits. The psychiatrist Anders Hansen has understood this and delivers his thoughts in his new ingenious and well-written book: The Happiness Cure. It’s a must-read!”
–Hugo Lagercrantz, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Karolinska Institutet

“We are biological beings, a product of evolution. With a warm heart and a light hand, Anders Hansen explains what this means for our mental well-being.”
–Karin Bojs

“Anders Hansen is our foremost and most accomplished public educator. With his crystal-clear, straightforward prose that never shies away from the difficult questions, he writes about evolution and the brain, and why many of us are left feeling so bad. Brilliant, I think. And very informative.”
–David Lagercrantz

“This is a great book … packed with brilliant revelations.”
–Chris Evans