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Mental well-being: A gateway to happiness
A middle-aged man walked into my clinic in his
designer outfit. “I have everything doctor. God has given me a wonderful,
loving family, great friends and a flourishing business. But I am not
happy,” he said.
Happiness: a subjective state of contentment and
well-being; an aspiration of every The United Nation’s World Happiness
Report (2013) found the world’s happiest countries to be Denmark, Norway,
Switzerland, Netherlands and Sweden. India unfortunately ranked at 111th,
behind most of its neighbouring countries. The study also found mental
health to be the single most important determinant of individual happiness
globally. It emphasized that depressive and anxiety disorders are the
single biggest cause of disability, absenteeism, misery and economic waste
worldwide (United Nations, 2013).
So what factors determine happiness? Studies
suggest that over 33% is accounted for by genetics (De Neve et al., 2013).
Brain circuits such as the nucleus accumbens (the brain’s pleasure centre)
are involved, which when stimulated, make people smile, laugh, feel
pleasure and happiness. Several neurochemicals play a role. For instance,
dopamine, associated with positive emotion, activates the reward system.
Serotonin helps maintain a positive mood. Endorphins lower pain perception
and increase a sense of calm and well-being. Happy people enjoy greater
immunity, better health, better relationships and increased longevity. The
reverse is true for unhappy people. Reason enough to make pursuing Of
course, everyone is unhappy from time to time; this is normal. Unhappiness
becomes a problem when it persists, turning into recurrent depressed moods,
with symptoms such as sleep and appetite disturbances, low selfesteem,
decreased interest and energy, diminished concentration, etc.
After a detailed assessment, it emerged that our
patient (reporting persistent unhappiness) in fact had recurrent clinical
major depression. After a detailed discussion, treatment was initiated with
a combination of medication, counseling, and later, with rTMS (Repetitive
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation); he responded well to How can one
enhance one’s Happiness Quotient (HQ)? People are good at synthesizing
happiness, says Daniel Gilbert, a Harvard Psychology professor.
Psychologist Ed Diener found the frequency of positive experiences is a
much better predictor of happiness than the intensity of positive
experiences. The UN study for instance, found people in happy nations
(Denmark and Netherlands) ride bicycles by choice. What an eco-friendly,
and fun way to enhance happiness.
Do figure out your personal happiness mantra. As
for me, I am getting myself a bicycle (and a helmet!). Hopefully, the
bicycling will stimulate my nucleus accumbens and happy neurochemicals,
steering me along the road to happiness. What about you?
Ways To Enhance Happiness
•Enhance simple behaviours: get enough sleep, exercise, pursue a hobby
•Stay organized (de-clutter regularly)
•Practice daily gratitude
•Focus on your strengths
•Practice relaxation techniques (yoga, meditation, etc)
•Find humour – don’t take everything too seriously!
•Seek professional help if required to treat depression, anxiety, etc
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