Anxiety and depression are on the rise. One study shows that the rise in anti-depressant use has risen over 400 percent in recent years. One in 10 Americans is currently using a psychotropic medication for anxiety, depression or similar forms of mental distress. A recent study found that this rise in anxiety and depression is occurring in teenagers as well.
Research by Shelley Gable and Jonathan Haidt suggests that we actually have three times more positive experiences than negative. So why are our happiness levels not higher and what can we do about it?
This question has become of such interest that an entire field of research – positive psychology – has developed around it. Scientists aren’t the only ones asking this question, so is everyone else — which explains the recent surge of books on happiness (Amazon currently has over 72,000 books listed under happiness!), attendance at yoga class (over 20 million) and meditation seminars, and the burgeoning of websites devoted to increasing happiness (like our very own Fulfillment Daily, but also Happier, and Happify among others).
Silicon Valley has joined the race and is using novel concepts from positive psychology to seriously hack happiness. Read on at my Psychology Today column.
Enjoyed this post?
✓ tips for a healthier lifestyle
✓ happiness insights
2 comments
The problem is that people are searching for happiness outside of themselves. The notion of the pursuit of happiness is flawed because happiness is not something that csn be pursued or hunted down: it can only be released from under the blanket of unhappiness that covers us in the modern age. There are many causes of unhappiness in fact there are more than enough for everyone on earth without the need to create more by encouraging people to want more things & more wealth & more status & more power. The Buddha said it 2500 years ago when he said that unhappiness os caused by the pursuit of un-necessary wants rather than needs.
V good reading, Would like to know more from YOU about Altruism.
Regards.
R.S