{"id":69484,"date":"2025-12-13T07:06:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T15:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegoodtrade.com\/?p=69484"},"modified":"2026-01-06T16:45:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T00:45:44","slug":"little-treat-psychology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegoodtrade.com\/features\/little-treat-psychology\/","title":{"rendered":"The Psychology Behind Giving Ourselves &#8220;A Little Treat&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As I sit down to write this, I\u2019m snacking on some of my favorite cheese, and I just got back from the gym, where I went solely to sit in the hot tub and sauna. Earlier today, I had a bowl of my favorite ice cream while going through my inbox. I\u2019m no stranger to giving myself \u201clittle treats.\u201d In fact, I love them. There\u2019s something so rewarding and joy-inducing about letting myself indulge \u2014 especially when I feel overwhelmed or busy, having a little treat for a burst of goodness in my day just feels lovely.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">&#8220;Especially when I feel overwhelmed or busy, having a little treat for a burst of goodness in my day just feels lovely.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, I\u2019m not the only one. It\u2019s all over social media, videos about getting a little treat as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@christalluster\/video\/7315201085294021934\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reward for getting stuff done<\/a>, to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@kittylever\/video\/7224544945036627242?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7533037732596876813\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survive the housing crisis<\/a>, and to just enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sarahsbookstacks\/video\/7268305756120730923?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7533037732596876813\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the little luxuries in life<\/a>. But this is nothing new. I can\u2019t help but think of the generations before me and their little treats \u2014 my great-grandma\u2019s love of watching her programs every evening; my other set of great-grandparents\u2019 breath mint jar in the living room; my dad\u2019s endless love of sweet treats.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was curious why we love little treats so much. Can too many little treats have a reverse effect? Is it a \u201ctoxic trait\u201d like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/a-little-treat-7263888101234199342?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the trending audio<\/a> says? Or is it just a normal part of the human experience? I spoke to a couple of experts to find out the psychology behind these little luxuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-little-treats\">What are little treats?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>From getting an iced coffee to having a cookie (or two) to going on a hot girl walk in the sun, little treats are tiny indulgences that we give ourselves for motivation, reward, or even just simply to feel better.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA treat can provide punctuation to our days, so it can be a comma on a stressful day, or a period at the end of grief, or even an exclamation mark on celebration,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/jordanleverette.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jordan Leverette<\/a> M.S, LMFT.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They might be little, but they can have a big impact on our day-to-day life, making us feel better, even if temporarily.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some little treats might include:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spontaneously meeting up with a friend<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ordering your favorite coffee or tea<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Buying yourself some flowers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Going for a walk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taking a barre, Pilates, or yoga class<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Getting a massage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Buying a new book<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eating a chocolate bar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Buying an extra little drink or snack when grocery shopping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taking a nap<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-psychology-behind-giving-ourselves-little-treats\">What is the psychology behind giving ourselves little treats?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Little treats give us a burst of dopamine. \u201cA lot of folks think it&#8217;s a pleasure chemical, but actually it&#8217;s more accurately described as the motivation and anticipation chemical,\u201d Leverette says. \u201cIt&#8217;s that sensation when we&#8217;re anticipating something pleasurable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the anticipation of giving ourselves a little treat literally makes us feel good. Think about how you feel when you\u2019re on your way to get your favorite cookie from the kitchen, or how you feel in between deciding to get a little snack and actually eating it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are wired for pleasure,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chloebeantherapy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chloe Bean<\/a>, LMFT. \u201c[Little treats] signal to your body: I&#8217;m taking care of myself, and then it&#8217;s that dopamine hit as well.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-right has-regular-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\u201c[Little treats] signal to your body: I&#8217;m taking care of myself, and then it&#8217;s that dopamine hit as well.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<cite>\u2013 Chloe Bean, LMFT<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Dopamine is a short-lived chemical, but sometimes these little moments of self-care can also have a longer-lasting effect. \u201cWe actually get a high from the dopamine itself,\u201d says Leverette. \u201cBut it\u2019s often a precursor for serotonin and oxytocin\u2026 serotonin will bring emotional steadiness\u2026 and oxytocin creates a sense of warmth and connection.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So when you take time to indulge in your favorite skincare or take a little walk around the block, the anticipation and motivation give you a bit of a high from the dopamine, but it can also lead to longer-lasting effects from the oxytocin and serotonin, signaling to your body that you\u2019re taking care of yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can you give yourself too many little treats?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Too much of anything can become a bad thing, of course. Even water, which is obviously good for you, can be harmful if you drink too much, Leverette explains. But what is the limit? Is it really \u201ctoxic\u201d to give yourself a lot of little treats? What boundaries should we set?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">&#8220;Even water, which is obviously good for you, can be harmful if you drink too much&#8230; But what is the limit?&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen it becomes dissociative, or we&#8217;re escaping something, trying to avoid sort of an inevitable situation, sitting with the truth about something, or avoiding our feelings,\u201d that\u2019s when it can become a problem, Bean says. \u201cThat&#8217;s the concern with it, if it&#8217;s becoming kind of like an escape or avoidant behavior.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leverette agrees. \u201cIf you&#8217;re noticing your little treats are creating imbalance within yourself, I think that&#8217;s a red flag or a cue to create some kind of change.\u201d\u00a0Taking a scroll break for an easy dopamine hit every hour, getting multiple sugary drinks in a day, online shopping instead of dealing with difficult emotions \u2014 doing things that aren\u2019t benefiting your physical or mental health are where you might want to draw the line.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf without that treat, you&#8217;re feeling depressed or anxious, then that&#8217;s maybe a sign to get a little support or to talk to a therapist,\u201d Bean says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">But a little treat here and there?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI always encourage my clients to orient to pleasure,\u201d Bean says, reminding us that we don\u2019t need to feel guilty for seeking out pleasure. \u201cIt&#8217;s not something you should have to earn. It&#8217;s something that&#8217;s required for you to be sustained in your life.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-right is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">&#8220;Little treats are reminders that we deserve good things, that we deserve to feel pleasure and joy in our day-to-day lives.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Little treats are reminders that we deserve good things, that we deserve to feel pleasure and joy in our day-to-day lives. Let yourself enjoy them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"h-\">\u201cI truly believe that giving ourselves little treats is like a micro act of reclaiming pleasure in a world that&#8217;s constantly demanding output,\u201d Leverette says. \u201cIt&#8217;s a rebellion against productivity pressure. Ultimately, it&#8217;s a way of saying I&#8217;m human and not a machine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Brianna Schubert<\/strong> <em>is a writer and editor based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade, an editorial assistant at Motley Bloom, and a freelance writer. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Since 2023, Brianna has combined her expertise and investigative skills to deliver thoughtful reviews of sustainable products and home goods, helping readers make informed, eco-conscious choices. Brianna is also the writer behind <a href=\"https:\/\/briannaschubert.substack.com\/\">The Mood Board<\/a>, a Substack newsletter for creativity and inspiration. When she\u2019s not writing, you can find her cooking up a new recipe, reading and recommending books, cuddling with her cat, or yapping with her friends at a caf\u00e9. Say hi on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bri.schubert\/\">Instagram<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our editor explores the immediate and longer-lasting effects \u2014 from dopamine hits to oxytocin release \u2014 that comes from giving yourself a &#8220;little treat.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":201,"featured_media":69485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_enable_custom_container":false,"_custom_container_max_width":"","_is_legacy_styles_disabled":false,"_is_thumbnail_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,323],"tags":[418,107,3,4,428,311,9],"class_list":["post-69484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-self","category-wellness","tag-mental-health","tag-mental-health-2-related-reading","tag-popular","tag-self","tag-thought-piece","tag-trending","tag-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - 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