The Concept of Languishing and Its Impact on Mental Health

Languishing is described as the absence of good mental health, measured by the presence of factors like purpose, confidence, belonging, and contribution in life. Different from depression, languishing leads to feelings of emptiness and can increase the risk of sliding into depression if prolonged. Studies show that languishing significantly affects health, leading to issues like increased absenteeism at work, risk for mental disorders, including anxiety and PTSD, and even premature mortality.