Happiness

[andrewducker]

I know there are a few people on my friends list who are depressed.

They should read this - an article on a set of scientific studies into happiness, and how it works.

amongst the many things they've looked into, they've studied what simple things people can do which increase happiness. It's on page 2 somewhere, but you should take a look at the whole thing.

Comments

[aberbotimue.livejournal.com]

I'm no academic, and glaze after a page or so.. but re-read the last stuff.. I have been getting quite ill recently. Most of my time on this worlsd has been in fun spirits, and enjoying my self, and very well...

But there is so much more, there was somone who told me its hireditory (I knmow thats spelt worng) but therfore I inherited depression from mummsy and daddy??

when its events that are pushing me this way, surley they have to go away, before I get better?

I guess I missed the point of the artical.. what do I have to do, to stop feeling shit?

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

when its events that are pushing me this way, surley they have to go away, before I get better?

Life will always have events. Some of them will be shit. Yes, maybe there are practical things you need to sort out first, but life is like that you just have to cope with whatever it brings you. When you are cheerful, nothing seems much of an issue and when you are miserable the tiniest thing can seem insurmountably daunting and horrible. Try breaking tasks/problems down into smaller and smaller parts until one or more of them is/are small enough to be do-able. Then do that/those. Keep going.

My advice, from my own experience - just keep doing things, get physically active if you can, eat healthily and *don't dwell on it* - distract yourself. Eventually you will feel a bit better, then you can build on that.

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

I think the genetic thing may be a susceptibility to depression. A researching friend tells me that it's 50% genetic and 100% chemistry. Unfortunately, the conversation didn't get much more elaborate (and I haven't seen him since).

I like the guy's emphasis on the positive: stuff to do to feel better. Cognitive therapy can be very annoying in its tendency to focus on how badly you're carrying on.