A friend who studied psychology once told me about a person who was well-protected by their family since childhood and, without any major changes, suddenly develops depression in middle age. She also said that if this person remains unaware, there's no need to deliberately wake them up—just let them continue to be happy like that, which is quite good! I didn’t understand or grasp her meaning at the time, and even wondered if she was subtly criticizing me. Now, looking back and reflecting on what my psychology-educated friend said, I think I can interpret it with a different nuance. Essentially, this statement describes a phenomenon of “delayed psychological adaptation,” which can be understood in two layers:

1. Why does “sudden depression occur without any major changes”? Being well-protected since childhood is like walking on a smooth, paved road—without learning how to cope with “implicit hardships,” such as hidden workplace conflicts, minor grievances in social relationships, or high expectations of always being happy. These emotions are usually masked by a “protected sense of happiness,” leaving no outlet for release. As physiological (hormonal, sleep) and psychological (taking on more responsibilities) changes occur in middle age, emotional regulation abilities decline. The previously accumulated implicit stress suddenly erupts, making it seem like “nothing happened,” but in reality, the “emotional reservoir” is full.

2. “Not waking them up” isn’t about “deceiving you,” but about “respecting your happiness.” When my friend said “not waking,” she didn’t mean “being naive,” but rather that this “protection” provides long-term psychological support for the individual—she maintains her inner order and peace through this “simplicity.” When no triggering events occur, she doesn’t feel pain. This “simple happiness” is genuine and valuable. The point is: if this protection doesn’t cause you pain and instead allows you to live peacefully, there’s no need to deliberately tell you “how complicated the world is”—after all, being able to maintain this pure happiness is a kind of luck, and forcibly shattering it only adds anxiety and serves no purpose.