In summary, this study shows that illusions do help to uphold (or, at least, do not impair) health in the short run. But this is not the case in the long run. Disappointments because of illusions produce depression to a much larger extent in the case of prolonged unemployment than in the group that started out with few illusions. I am aware, of course, that such a result has to be replicated, and that the sample on which the study is based is rather small. However, these kinds of results may suggest that it is unwise to produce hope in the unemployed when there is little objective evidence that they will find a job in the near future.