A method, system, and/or computer program product improves an emotional state for a user by activating an improvement device. A speech counter determines a current spoken word count of words spoken by a user during a current predefined time period, where the words spoken by the user are detected by a microphone. One or more processors determine a threshold spoken word count for the user, where the threshold spoken word count historically has improved an emotional state for the user. In response to the current spoken word count being less than the threshold spoken word count, one or more processors activate an improvement device, where the improvement device guides the user to increase the current spoken word count in order to improve the emotional state for the user by reaching the threshold spoken word count.