Happy people don't get sick

This brief survey is aimed at understanding the net effect of happiness on physical well being. Recent research has shed some light on the characteristics of happy people¹.

New studies reveal ways to predict subjective well-being, often assessed as self-reported happiness and satisfaction with life. Worldwide, most people report being, at least moderately happy, regardless of age, gender and material wealth. New explorations involve possible association between happiness and (a) economic growth and one's personal income, (b) close relationships and (c) one's spiritual perspective.

Even though human suffering focuses much of our attention on the understanding and alleviation of misery, there are the beginnings of a more positive scientific pursuit of subjective well being. This pursuit follows three directions: (a) how happy are people? (b) Who are the happy people? (3) What are the characteristics, traits and circumstances that mark happy lives?

Surveys indicate that most people are upbeat about their satisfaction with life. In Western Europe and North America 8 in 10 rate themselves as being more satisfied than dissatisfied. Fewer than 1 in 10 rate themselves as more dissatisfied than satisfied. Likewise, some three-quarters of the people say yes, they have felt excited, proud, or pleased at some point during the past few weeks. No more than a third say they have felt lonely, bored, or depressed.

Across languages, these self-reports seem to retain the same meaning. Whether they are German-, French-, or Italian-speaking.

These positive findings are independent of age, sex, race and all strategies for assessing subjective well-being, e.g., by paging people at any moment to report their moods. The few exceptions to these happiness statistics include hospitalized alcoholics, newly incarcerated inmates, new psychotherapy clients, South African blacks under apartheid and students living under conditions of political repression. This positively contradicts the intuitions of psychology students, half of whom think the elderly are "mostly unhappy".

There is a reliable consistency of reports of happiness over time despite changes in life situations. A further validation of this consistency is that friends and relatives of happy people seem to see them also as happy.

Although we assume that happiness refers to something deeper and more lasting than a momentary good mood, our working definition is simply whatever people mean when they are describing their lives as happy. Understanding happiness is important because the feeling of happiness seems to have profound effects on the happy person's life.

Happy people are less self-focused, less hostile and abusive and less vulnerable to disease. They are also more loving, forgiving, trusting, decisive, creative, sociable, and helpful. Positive emotions are conducive to sociability, optimistic goal striving, and even a healthier immune system. They also have an emotional base in which negative emotions, in response to a threat or when something goes awry, can quickly be reversed.

What you can do with this information

Fortunately, all of the behavioral patterns associated with happiness are within the control of every person. We are making the assumption, based on experience, that if a person works to change certain behavior patterns, then they can also become happier.

Here is one way to use this information. You can choose a path that will move you toward a happier life. Of course, unpredictable events can and do get in the way and disrupt any flow of good feelings. However, with support, the problems of illnesses, the death of loved ones and forced changes in lifestyle can be handled. The first step may well be to make an active effort to acquire a few close friends who care enough and know enough to be helpful. One can learn to be trusting and forgiving. One can learn to allow good feelings.

There are people who never allow themselves to feel good about anything. Even a sincere compliment is met with distrust and suspicion. There are also people who never laugh and are careful to suppress visual expressions of good feelings. If a person is alert, they can watch themselves minimizing good feelings. I have seen people observe themselves when they negate a good feeling and then admit, "Yes, I do feel good about that." This takes considerable effort. Often people hide behind what is called false modesty and respond with comments like "Oh, it was nothing." rather than "Yes, I really felt good about that." This kind of behavior takes energy. On the other hand it also takes considerable effort to remain unhappy.

What about spirituality?

Is religion, as Freud surmised, destructive to happiness-by creating an "obsessional neurosis that entails guilt, repressed sexuality, and suppressed emotionality or is it more often associated with joy?" Accumulated evidence indicates that some form of spirituality correlates with prejudice and guilt but that in general, an active spiritual life correlates well with several mental health criteria. North Americans who have a spiritual life are less likely to become delinquent, abuse drugs and alcohol, divorce and commit suicide. Thanks in part to lessened smoking and drinking, spiritually active people tend to be physically healthier and to live longer.

In many surveys those people having high scores on a Spiritual Commitment Scale were twice as likely to declare themselves as "very happy" as those with low scores. It is a matter of personal choice whether one chooses an organized mainstream religion or some other pathway to a spiritual life. The effect on scores of "reported happiness" is minimal.

What about affluence

Could money buy you happiness? Most people deny this.
However, a different question, "Would a little more money make you a little happier?" - many people will smirk and nod yes. We believe there is some connection between wealth and well-being. The overall effect tends to be minimal. Even though affluence tends to have very little effect on feelings of well being, where incomes can be so low as to threaten the satisfaction of basic human needs, being well off does predict greater well-being. In affluent countries where almost everyone can afford life necessities wealth tends to matter very little.

What about close relationships and well-being?

Compared with those having few social ties, people supported by close relationships with friends, family, or by fellow members of work groups, church, etc. are less vulnerable to ill health and premature death.

When afflicted with leukemia or heart disease those people surrounded by extensive support systems have higher survival rates. A large amount of data reveal that people are happier when attached then when unattached. Forty percent of married adults in North America declared themselves, as very happy-nearly double the twenty-four percent of never married adult.

How to keep the process moving

It is clear that certain traits and certain aspects of lifestyle can help people to be happier. This can provide some hope to anyone who wishes to develop a happier life.

The task for a person who wishes to continue to change their lifestyle is to pick an area that is that is not well developed. Once this is identified then you can do some reading, do a little research and start to alter that area with persistent effort. It can be done. Sometimes a person needs a little professional help. The trick is that once you are committed, leave no stone unturned, and make whatever effort is required to begin to see the impact on mood and lifestyle. Since this is such a worthwhile goal, there can be no effort that is too great.

Summary

This is a brief outline of the factors that must be considered in the pursuit of happiness. This much is known: age. gender and income (assuming people have enough to afford life's necessities) give little clues to someone's happiness. Better clues come from knowing people's traits and the quality of their work and/or leisure experiences. Knowing whether they enjoy a supportive network of close relationships and whether the person has a faith that encompasses social support, purpose and hope are better predictors or happiness.
In the pursuit of this worthwhile enterprise I wish you well. Dr. Verne.