Criticism[edit]
While one might say that those who lack the skill to delay are immature, an excess of this skill can create problems as well; i.e. an individual becomes inflexible, or unable to take pleasure in life (anhedonia) and seize opportunities for fear of adverse consequences.[8]
There are also circumstances, in an uncertain/negative environment, when seizing gratification is the rational approach,[9] as in wartime.
Emotional gratification is a motivating force that results from the gratifying effects of emotions. The emotional reaction of emotional gratification is itself caused by emotions, resulting in a circular model of this complex interaction. Emotions themselves can instigate different varieties of gratification, ranging from hedonic outcomes to more psychologically beneficial outcomes.[
Gratification is a major issue in bipolar disorder. One sign of the onset of depression is a spreading loss of the sense of gratification in such immediate things as friendship, jokes, conversation, food and sex.[12] Long-term gratification seems even more meaningless.[13]
By contrast, the manic can find gratification in almost anything, even a leaf falling, or seeing their crush for example.[14] There is also the case of the so-called manic illusion of gratification, which is analogous to an infant's illusion of obtaining food. Here, if the food is not given right away, he fantasizes about it and this eventually give way to stronger emotions such as anger and depression.