The Happiness Series

[jpp...@gmail.com]

HAPPINESS SERIES--Part 1
(6-96)




Recently, some of our readers watched with interest the ABC--TV
program on happiness by John Stossel. Much of the information in the
TV special was from the same material we had discovered in the S.A.
Choose Life Project. Hence, we've decided to run a series of articles
on the nature of happiness, and how our members can increase their
chances of experiencing happiness.




Because the information in the series will build on previous articles
in the series, it may be wise to save and file them. References will
be made to previous articles. The main reference sources for the
articles are as follows:




Books

David G. Myers, Ph.D. The Pursuit of Happiness. New York, NY:

Avon Books, 1992.

John Powell. Happiness is an Inside Job. Allen, TX: Tabor
Publications, 1989.

Thomas A. Kane, (Ed.) Happiness. Whitinsville, MA: Affirmation Books,
1982.




Articles

"On the Road to Happiness." Psychology Today, July/August 1994. (Cover
story for several articles on subject.)

"The Art of Happiness." Psychology Today, July/ August 1995. (Cover
story for several articles on subject.)

"How to Feel Great!" Psychology Today, July/August 1993. (Cover story
for several articles on subject.)




Other Sources

"The Mystery of Happiness: Who Has It..How to Get It" ABC- Television
News. Reported by John Stossel in April 1996. (From transcript of
television program--recorded by Journal Graphics, Inc.)

"Suffering: It Can Make You Bitter or Better." Audio-tape by John
Powell.




The main scientific source for the Happiness Series will be Prof.
Myers's book, which summarizes and analyzes hundreds of research
studies done on the question of happiness. The Psychology Today
magazine articles bring together in a symposium format the top
scientific experts on the subject. The John Stossel television program
has a segment on the biological or genetic contribution to the ability
to be happy. The John Powell audio-tape helps us learn how to grow
when we're unhappy.




A couple of points. Our members will probably be relieved to find that
the researchers say that wealth does not bring happiness--once our
basic needs are met the average person has as good a shot at happiness
as those who live the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Also, self-
blame may not be necessary or warranted if we are not happy--there may
be a strong genetic component. Neverthe-less, there are things we can
do to have more happy moments.


Happiness Series--Part 2
(7-96)




The study of happiness is a new and still imperfect endeavor,
something that social scientists have engaged in only during the past
several decades. Scholars point to the American Declaration of
Independence, with its affirmation of the "pursuit of happiness" as
one of the early pronouncements on the subject. Over the past century
psychiatry has labored over the study of clinical depression, the
opposite of happiness. But efforts to really understand happiness,
itself, are quite new, still in the developmental stage.




Nevertheless, happiness is something we all want; some (agree with
Aristotle and) consider it the supreme good. Early in this S.A.
Happiness Series we should try to develop a conceptual framework for
this important word, and try to organize the ideas surrounding the
notion of happiness in a way that we can more easily understand what
it is and how to get it. The basic conceptual framework will involve
the following items:




1. Biological Factors. These are the hereditary elements that may
predispose our ability to be happy, or the extent to which we may be
born with the capacity to be happy. These are important for lessening
some of the self-blame that may arise if one is unhappy.




2. Major Behavioral Factors. According to a recent ABC News special on
happiness, there are five major factors that a person can work on to
increase personal happiness: 1) Close and supportive relationships
with others, 2) a satisfying work life, 3) a sense of personal control
over one's own life, 4) optimism, and 5) spiritual faith.




3. Other Hints for Happiness. Researchers have found many other
variables that are associated with happiness. For example, one's
happiness can vary depending on his or her expectations about how much
life should have to offer, or who the person compares him or herself
with. There are many other hints that researchers have discovered and
we shall consider them.




4. What Doesn't Bring Happiness. Researchers have identified many
elements that people report wanting that don't really bring lasting
happiness once obtained. For instance, there are interesting data on
the clinical depression of megabuck lottery winners, or that the
reported happiness of the rich is not significantly higher than the
average person's. Apparently, large amounts of wealth, fame, power,
sex, and prestige do not bring above-average happiness over time. As
events in England show, you can even be a Prince or Princess and still
be unhappy.




We will begin slowly in the coming months, examining some of the
demographic data on happiness--reporting on the average levels of
happiness for different types of people who have different types of
characteristics. Maybe we can learn to become more HAPPY!


Happiness Series--Part 3
(8-96)




Numerous writers on the subject of happiness say that Americans are
generally unhappy. For instance, Dennis Wholey (author of Are You
Happy?) says that experts he consulted estimate that only 20 percent
of Americans are happy. John Powell (author of Happiness is an Inside
Job) quotes data suggesting that one-third of all Americans wake up
depressed every day, and he states that professionals estimate only 10
to 15 percent of Americans are truly happy. But these expert
assessments differ from the conclusions of everyday people themselves.




In fact, Americans say they are happy. That is, survey research in the
form of national opinion polls consistently show that most Americans
report being happy and being satisfied with their lives. For instance,
in respected national surveys about 35% of Americans report being very
happy, another 55% pretty happy, and only 10% not too happy. [Myers,
1992, p. 25] Also, more than 80 percent of Americans say that they're
more satisfied with their life than dissatisfied. At the same time,
about three-fourths of Americans say that they have felt excited,
proud, or pleased at some point during the past few weeks.




The Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan accomplished
the measurement visually. They made seven pictorial variations of the
circular "happy face"--ranging from extremely happy to extremely sad
and then asked people which of the seven pictures came closest to
expressing how they felt about their life as a whole. We don't have
the capacity to reproduce here the drawings, but we'll give the
percentage of the sample that ident-ified with expressions on the
drawings, as represented in words.




Extremely Happy 20% Neutral 4%

Quite Happy 46% A Little Unhappy 2%

A Little Happy 27% Quite Unhappy 1%

Extremely Unhappy 0% TOTAL 100%




Again, an overwhelming majority of Americans (93 percent) reported
having happy lives, at least to some degree. These kinds of results
have led many experts to theorize that Americans exaggerate reports of
happiness in such opinion polls, that there is some kind of "Pollyanna
syndrome" or "unrealistic optimism" involved. If this were the case,
the expert assessments of the incidence of unhappiness might be closer
to being true.




Another point worth speculating on relates to those who do report
being unhappy. Are these Americans the types of folks who are
susceptible to clinical depression? Or, are these the types of folks
who are born with a biological predisposition to be unhappy?

(There is another interesting bit of data gathered at the University
of Illinois. Able-bodied students there described themselves as
feeling happy about 50 percent of the time, unhappy 22 percent of the
time, and feeling neutral 28 percent of the time. We'll discuss the
implications of this study next month.)


Happiness Series--Part 4
(9-96)




--Measuring Personal Happiness. At the University of Illinois,
students were asked what percent of the time they felt happy, unhappy,
or neutral. The rounded-out results: 50% of the time happy, 30%
neutral, and 20% of the time unhappy. These results are interesting
because they measure to some degree the dynamics of happiness and the
level of variation during a period of time. Anyone can make a
"reading" for happiness/unhappiness by using this three-part
measurement. Such readings can be for a single day, a week, month,
year, or life in general.




We asked five people close to S.A. to measure their level of general
happiness by using this three-part categorization. The results are
given below. Note the wide degree of variation by individual
participants, particularly Person B and Person E. We can report that
Person B appears happy most of the time, and Person E appears
depressed most of the time.




Percentage of time person feels:

Happy Neutral Unhappy

Average in Study 50% 30% 20%

Person A 10% 40% 50%

Person B 60% 30% 10%

Person C 25% 50% 25%

Person D 10% 80% 10%

Person E 0% 20% 80%


For the moment, let's be a little bit creative and break down this
three-part mood categorization further into nine parts, giving us more
room for variation. This could represent a broad Mood Spectrum,
providing more precision for measuring our levels of happiness or
unhappiness.




Mood Spectrum

Happy 3.3 Very happy/thrilled/elated

3.2 Happy/glad/cheerful

3.1 Pretty good/somewhat happy




Neutral 2.3 OK--fair

2.2 OK--so-so

2.1 OK--not bad




Unhappy 1.3 Not very well/Hanging in there

1.2 Unhappy/sad/melancholy

1.1 Feeling awful/miserable/very unhappy


Part of what we'll be doing in this Happiness Series is learning how
to "jump mood increments." If we are feeling melancholy (1.2), how can
we jump three mood increments so that were are feeling OK or so-so
(2.2)? Or eventually two more increments so that we feel pretty good
(3.1)? Also, in broader terms, we want to increase the percent of time
we feel happy and decrease the percent of time we feel unhappy.


Happiness Series--Part 5
(10-96)




--Happiness and Adaptability. Circumstances in life change for
everyone, with varying degrees of difficulties and delights. In
general, most people adjust to these situations, good or bad.
Difficulty most often brings resilience, and delight eventually wears
off.




According to Professor David Myers, arguably the nation's foremost
expert on the study of happiness: "I don't mean to minimize the
trauma, but you tell me that you have in mind someone who, more than a
year ago, became paraplegic in a car accident, or won a million
dollars in a state lottery, and you've given me virtually no clue to
their personal happiness today." (ABC News/Stossel, April 1996, p. 13)




In fact according to ABC's John Stossel, "Studies of lottery winners
found that within a year, most say that they are no happier than they
were before they won." (Stossel, p. 3) At the same time, in a study at
the University of Illinois, able-bodied students and physically
disabled students reported identical levels of happiness, to within
one percentage point. (Myers, 1992, p. 48)




So, human beings generally adapt to their circumstances after a period
of adjustment. This is not to say that the period of adjustment is
always a breeze. Often there is discomfort, sometimes great
discomfort, before the adaptation level is reached. Grief and loss
experts often say that a mourning period of a year is common after a
loss.




And what of those who don't fit the statistical averages--they
experience difficulty and don't seem to return to previous states of
happiness. We see this in the area of mental illness. In depression,
for example, it seems that many patients are unable to regain their
former sense of well-being, their happier days. Yet this may not be so
much a function of their external circumstances, but rather, a result
of brain malfunctions in which not enough soothing brain chemicals are
being produced to enable a normal state of personal well-being to
occur. In this explanation, difficult changes in life situations
simply serve to intensify troubled moods, moods that are essentially a
product of a biological disorder.




In fact, the ABC News special on happiness stated that about 50
percent of the equation in personal happiness is a result of
biological factors that a person is born with, the rest dealing with
factors that the person has some latitude or control over outside of
medical treatment. One scientist on the program simply stated: "There
are certain brains that are more predisposed to experience happiness
compared to other brains." (Stossel, pgs. 5-7) We can easily speculate
that the ability to adapt varies with the coping capacity associated
with these variations in normal brain functioning. In all of this, we
continue to hope that new medical treatments and other methods will
add to those treatments already in existence in helping those whose
weakened biological make-up makes it more difficult to adjust to
things, and be happy.


Happiness Series--Part 6
(11-96)




--Wealth and Happiness. Becoming rich won't bring you above-average
happiness over time. This is the conclusion stated by happiness expert
Prof. David Myers, as well as the recent ABC News special on happiness
hosted by John Stossel. To illustrate this point, Stossel interviewed
on camera numerous megabuck lottery winners, most of whom attested
that the big money didn't bring them anything close to big happiness,
and often caused them unexpected problems with loved ones--leading
some to the therapist's chair. Prof. Myers further states that a study
of 49 of the wealthiest Americans, as listed by Forbes magazine, found
them generally to be only slightly happier than the average person,
and that 37 percent of this group reported happiness levels less than
the average person's.




Probing further, Myers states that the buying power of Americans has
doubled since 1957, but polls by the University of Chicago (NORC)
indicate that Americans don't report being happier now than we were in
the late 1950s. At the same time, social scientists at the University
of Pennsylvania report that rates of clinical depression have
increased tenfold since World War II. It seems that once the initial
rush of newness passes, the more "things" that money can buy don't
bring us more happiness.




There are other sorts of moderating data on the subject. For instance,
studies indicate that there is a modest correlation between the per
capita GNP of various countries (their wealth) and reported levels of
life satisfaction of citizens in those countries. Also, there is a
modest link between reported happiness and different income levels
within single countries. However, Myers states that these correlations
are "entangled" with many other variables including poverty rates. The
studies do indicate that there is a strong relationship between
poverty and unhappiness. If we do not get our basic needs met, the
researchers say, we will feel misery. Even so, Myers states that
people at all income levels can still "enjoy each other," and he
quotes a Third World theologian to the effect that "the believing poor
have never lost their capacity for having a good time and celebrating,
despite the harsh conditions in which they live."




Well then, if being rich won't make us happier, what on earth will?
Says Prof. Myers: "Realizing that well-being is something other than
being well-off is liberating. It liberates us from spending on
eighteen-hundred-dollar dresses, on stockpiles of unplayed CDs, on
luxury cars, on seagoing luxury homes--all purchased in a vain quest
for elusive joy. It liberates us from envying the lifestyles of the
rich and famous. It liberates us to invest ourselves in developing
traits, attitudes, relationships, activities, environments, and
spiritual resources that will promote our own, and other's, well-
being."




Again, what will bring us happiness? The ABC News special on the
subject pointed to five factors that we have some control over that
will lead us to being happier. They are: 1) close and supportive
relationships, 2) engaging in meaningful work, 3) a sense of control
over our lives, 4) personal optimism, and 5) spiritual faith. In the
coming months we will examine each of these five factors closely.


Happiness Series--Part 7
(12-96)




--Happiness and Relationships. One of the five factors that ABC News
identified as contributing most to developing personal happiness is
the role of relationships. In fact, according to the ABC-TV special on
happiness, close and supportive relationships between people may be
the biggest predictor of happiness. At the same time, happiness expert
Prof. David Myers states simply: "Close, supportive, and connected
relationships make for happiness..."




"Relationships," as cherished interpersonal experiences, don't need to
be limited to marriage, or even to having a "boyfriend" or
"girlfriend" of the opposite gender. Many people find meaningful
relationships among friends or among members of their family. Of
course, as Myers suggests, very close relationships--as in the people
we love or live with--often provide our greatest joys and our greatest
heartaches. Still, surveys show that four out of five adults rate love
as important to happiness.1 [For our purposes in S.A., perhaps we
should emphasize that friendships can be loving relationships, and we
can learn to do things to promote this sort of emotional closeness
with others.]




After analyzing hundreds of scientific studies on happiness, Myers
states that social support is a very important factor in even the
simplest relationships. "Social support--feeling liked, affirmed, and
encouraged by intimate friends and family--promotes both health and
happiness." According to Myers: "A friend is someone with whom you
feel comfortable being yourself...They enable us to be known and
accepted as we truly are." This sort of social support in friendship
has life-affirming qualities--it can literally enliven us. [S.A. is a
means for people with our illness to develop more social support in
our lives.]




Social scientists assert that friendship can also be important for
confiding one's painful feelings. Painful experiences can fester in
the mind, resulting in physical ailments, especially when these
experiences are kept secret. Studies show that confiding trauma with a
friend often reduces the emotional impact of the trauma.2 Also, there
is a certain relief that self-disclosure can bring, especially if one
gains or retains acceptance from another person after the disclosure.
This sort of stuff happens in emotionally intimate friendships all the
time. It also happens in self-help support groups.




There are other reasons why friends are important to us: they are our
companions and our helpmates. Despite our needs for solitude,
loneliness can develop into a heavy burden at times. According to
Prof. Myers, short of torture, society's worst punishment is solitary
confinement. People want companions--we seek others to do things with
and to share the experience of being human. Companionship combats
loneliness and promotes well-being. At the same time, friends often
exchange favors in helping each other meet the demands of ordinary
living. It's a big plus if we have a friend(s) we can count on for
help when the rough spots in life occur. In S.A., the concept of
mutual support is used in encouraging members to help each other, and
even become companions.




So then, do we become unhappy if we don't pay attention to our
relationships? Famous University of Pennsylvania researcher Martin
Seligman says yes. In fact, he interprets the rise in clinical
depression rates over the past decades, as the result of loneliness
bred by a cultural individualism that places more importance on
"success" than nurturing loving relationships.3 In this light, Prof.
Myers stresses the importance of interdependence with our fellow men
and women as a source of happiness.

----FOOTNOTES: All from Myers (1992)-- 1 pg. 155; 2 pg. 144; 3 pp.
145-148


Happiness Series--Part 8




--Work and Happiness. Fulfilling work was considered by ABC News as
one of the five key factors leading to personal happiness. Work makes
us happy?!? To quote John Stossel of ABC News: "One myth about
happiness is that we'd be happy if we just had more leisure, more time
to relax, to watch TV, perhaps. No way, say the experts. Inactivity is
a curse. Happiness comes when we test our skills through some
meaningful activity."




Happiness expert David Myers adds: "People who get in the flow of
life, whose work experiences and whose recreation challenges their
skills and engages them, people who become caught up in what they're
doing, live with greater joy." Professor Myers goes on to present data
suggesting that working people are happier than those who don't work,
and that the happiness factor increases if the work is fulfilling.




How do we describe fulfilling work? The term "flow" is being used
often to describe the kind of work situation where a person is totally
absorbed in the activity, to the point that the hours pass without the
person actually realizing it. When a person is "in flow," he or she
actually enjoys the work, and is caught up in it. Researchers at the
University of Chicago, who have done a lot of study in the area of
"flow," have used as an example, the artist, who works for hours on a
piece of art, being absorbed the whole while in the act of creation,
and finding the whole experience very rewarding. Simply, "flow" occurs
when a person is using his or her highest skills in doing work he or
she finds challenging.




In contrast to FLOW in work situations, are APATHY, BOREDOM, and
ANXIETY. According to the University of Chicago researchers, APATHY
occurs when the skills are low and when the challenges are low.
BOREDOM occurs when a person has high skills but can't use them,
because the challenge is low. ANXIETY occurs when the challenge is
high, but the person doesn't have the skills to meet the challenge, or
doesn't believe he or she does. Oftentimes people are unhappy with the
work at hand because they are either apathetic, bored, or anxiety-
ridden about their work. When we are in flow, there is that wonderful
match between our highest skills and a challenge.




Referring to research studies, Prof. Myers states: "observations of
dancers, chess players, surgeons, writers, parents, mountain climbers,
Australian sailors, elderly Koreans, Alpine farmers, and Japanese,
Italian, and American teenagers converge on an overriding principle:
It's exhilarating to flow with an activity that fully engages our
skills. Flow experiences boost our sense of self-esteem, competence,
and well-being...Studies confirm that a key ingredient of satisfying
work is whether or not it is challenging. The most satisfied workers
find their skills tested, their work varied, their tasks significant."




Keep in mind that there can be flow in leisure also. Yet, according to
researchers, Americans have a "relative poverty of experience in free
time." One empirical study states that "3 percent of those watching TV
report experiencing flow, 39 percent report feeling apathetic. For
those engaged in arts and hobbies the percentages flip-flop--47
percent report flow and 4 percent apathy." Perhaps, part of the recipe
is finding engaging activities to pursue during our free time.




S.A., of course, affirms the value of work in our recovery. This can
be done through paid employment, volunteer work, housework or child-
rearing, or through numerous meaningful work activities needed in our
S.A. groups or by Central S.A. It is interesting to see that social
scientists have concluded, as we have, that work generally makes us
happier.


Happiness Series--Part 9




--Personal Optimism and Happiness. An ABC television special on
happiness has suggested that personal optimism is one of the five key
factors leading to one's happiness. To analyze what optimism is, we
would do well to break the word down into four of its elements: hope,
favorable explanatory style, being a "goodfinder," and positive
thinking.




* HOPE. Although definitions of hope vary, we might say that it
involves the idea that things will be well or that things will get
better. In a study in Germany, young people were asked what they
thought was the most beautiful word in human speech; the leading vote-
getter was the word "hope." The ABC-News special interviewed U.S.
Senator John McCain on hope. During the Vietnam War, McCain was a
downed warplane pilot and a prisoner of the North Vietnamese for five
years--two of which were in solitary confinement. What enabled McCain
to survive, he says, was--"A fundamental belief that things in the end
would be OK...You had to believe that." McCain reports that armed with
this fundamental belief, he and many other POWs were able to be happy
often and were generally, he says, a "happy lot." Indications are that
if we can be hopeful--we will be happier.




* FAVORABLE EXPLANATORY STYLE. University of Pennsylvania psychologist
Martin Seligman has written a book called Learned Optimism, in which
he stresses the role of "explanatory style," or the manner that we
habitually explain to ourselves why events happen the way they do. He
believes optimists view misfortune or defeat as a temporary setback,
confined to one case, and they believe that the defeat was not their
fault, but rather the result of circumstances, bad luck, or other
people. Pessimists on the other hand, feel that a bad event will last
a long time, will undermine everything they do, and is all their
fault. Whereas pessimism often leads to helplessness, Seligman states
that research indicates that optimism leads to persistence in face of
adversity, and often to successful achievement of goals. Also,
optimists seem better able to "bounce back" after defeat and face life
again. Seligman believes that forms of cognitive therapy can teach
pessimists to become optimists--and then become happier.




* BEING A GOODFINDER. Author John Powell states that research points
to a common denominator among people who are happy: They are
"goodfinders"--they look for and find what is good in themselves,
others, and in all situations in life. Consider this contrast: "Two
men looked out from prison bars./ One saw mud and one saw stars."
Powell believes that the effort of looking for good is what makes the
difference and enables brighter feelings, because we can usually find
something good in others and things if we try well. And if things
aren't perfect, or are seemingly unacceptable, we may find there are
redeeming characteristics found in the existing good amidst the flaws.
If Powell is right, we may find ourselves smiling more often as we
look for the good in other people and in things (or, for that matter,
in ourselves).




* POSITIVE THINKING. We might want a separate category here for
"positive thinking," to cover the act of managing excessively negative
thoughts, so that harsh judgments or needlessly critical ideas don't
overwhelm us or knock us over. We may want to avoid having a hyper-
critical personality. Or we may want to learn to replace insecure
thoughts with secure ones. Maybe we would like not to worry so much or
to douse out our imaginations when they are on fire. Some readers may
find the writings of Norman Vincent Peale helpful.




In all of this, optimism experts still warn against being a Pollyanna

or engaging in "unrealistic optimism." For instance, Seligman states
that we need enough a sense of realistic appraisal to deal with our
real problems.

Our happiness, then, is enhanced by a balance of optimism and realism.


Happiness Series--Part 10




--Personal Control and Happiness. An ABC-News special considers as one
of the five key factors leading to more happiness the level of
"personal control" a person has over his or her life. This resembles
something called Control Theory, which distinguishes between an
internal locus of control and an external locus of control. An
"internal locus of control" is a person's belief that life outcomes
are largely the result of one's own attributes and behaviors. On the
other hand, an "external locus of control" is the belief that outcomes
are largely determined by factors and forces outside of one's control.
Some research shows that people with an external locus of control are
more susceptible to depression, learned helplessness, a sense of
victimization, and negative responses to aversive stimuli. On the
other hand, people with an internal locus of control appear to be
happier.




For instance, Yale researchers "encouraged nursing home patients to
exert more control--to make choices about their environment and to
influence policy. As a result, 93 percent became more alert, active,
and happy. Similar results have been observed after allowing prisoners
to move chairs and control lights and TV, and after enabling workers
to participate in decision-making."




At Rutgers, researchers ran tests "that show even babies are happier
if they can control some of their environment. Researchers tie a
string around a child's wrist. When the string's pulled [by the baby],
a picture appears. Eventually the babies figure that out, and they
like that, making the picture happen. If [the researchers] take
control away and the pictures don't appear, the children withdraw or
cry. They even get more upset if the pictures then appear randomly."
When the researchers give the babies back control, the babies seem
happy again.




According to University of Pennsylvania researchers, people are
happier under stable democracies, where there is more personal choice
and control. Before the democratic revolution in East Germany,
researchers compared the "telltale" body language of working class men
in East and West Berlin bars. "Compared to their counterparts on the
other side of the Wall, the West Berliners much more often sat upright
rather than slumped. They more often had upward--rather than downward--
turned mouths. They more often smiled and laughed." According to Prof.
David Myers, totalitarian environments, where there is less personal
control, produce less happy people on average. And he states that
human beings thrive best where there's a certain level of personal
freedom.




The element of personal control becomes more vivid if we contrast the
notions of "empowerment" versus Martin Seligman's "learned
helplessness." The latter term implies that one can learn to believe,
through experience, that nothing he or she does matters. One can
learn, in life's travels, to say: "What's the use?" One can interpret
life's experiences so as to conclude: "Nothing I do will make any
difference in these sorts of situations." Enough of these sorts of
self-messages corners one into a state of helplessness. On the other
hand, "empowerment" gives a sense that one can impact on things that
matter to the person's life. According to current thinking,
empowerment increases personal control, making us happier. S.A.
members may recognize the elements of empowerment in our Steps #2 and
#3. We may wish to discuss with our mental health professionals other
ways to learn empowerment.




Still, for some of us, there are times in our illness where we seem to
have so little personal control--we may not even be able to decide
what we think or see (via hallucinations). When we truly have little
personal control we may wish to rely on spiritual faith to help
ourselves. Interestingly, this element of spiritual faith is the fifth
key factor that ABC-News states leads to more personal happiness. This
factor will be discussed next month.


Happiness Series--Part 11




--Spiritual Faith and Happiness. According to an ABC television
special, the fifth key factor leading to more happiness is spiritual
faith. Some experts assert that faith in God can give us a sense of
meaning, consolation in suffering, and purpose or direction in our
lives. Even a hard-nosed astro-physicist like Stephen Hawking sees
importance in a big question when, in A Brief History of Time, he
wonders "why it is that we and the universe exist." Women's tennis pro
Chris Evert approached the question when after winning 146 tennis
championships and being married to John Lloyd she pondered, "We get
into a rut. We play tennis, we go to a movie, we watch TV, but I keep
saying, `John, there has to be more.'"




Happiness expert David Myers speaks of a "spiritual hunger" that
arises in cases like these and others, in situations when after
getting most of the things we ever wanted, it still isn't enough.
Similarly, Myers reports that research data indicates spiritual faith
helps people experiencing great losses (in studies on divorce,
unemployment, bereavement, serious illness, disability, mothers of
children with developmental disabilities, and mothers of babies lost
to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.) Myers reports an array of data
showing "how an active faith can meet deep human needs." For instance,
religious people are much less likely to become delinquent, to abuse
drugs or alcohol, or to divorce or be unhappily married. It seems that
where there is spiritual hunger, there is often a forthcoming
emotional sustenance from spirituality.




So, are spiritually committed people happier than those who aren't?
According to Gallup polls they are, on average. For instance, "the
highly spiritual were twice as likely to say they were `very
happy.'" [This is not to say that all "spiritual" people are happy or
that all atheists are unhappy. Nor does it mean that in all instances
spiritual people are happier than people who are not spiritual.
However, numerous studies do indicate that the chances of one
reporting to be happy increase if one also has reported to be
religious.] At the same time, Myers suggests that when religious
people do suffer, they are more likely to find meaning despite their
difficulties, and studies show they are less likely to commit suicide
during seemingly irreversible suffering.




The ABC News special did a short segment on the happiness of the
Amish. The Amish are a small, tight-knit religious order of men,
women, and children, who shun most of the conveniences of the modern
world; for instance, they ride horse-carts rather than drive
automobiles, and they are willing to spend hours doing tedious work
that we would turn over to machines. Based on ABC's informal poll of a
few dozen Amish at a fair in Pennsylvania, almost all scored above the
national average of reported happiness. We also know that the clinical
depression rates of the Amish are one-fifth to one-tenth that of the
national average. Some experts believe that the well-being of many
Amish people comes from a combination of their religious steadfastness
and their cooperative communal values. Although most of us could not
imagine being happy living in an austere Amish community, it can be
comforting to know faith and love can win the day when conditions
require it.




But, there's still an important question to be asked. Although
spiritual faith can help us, is there a Spirit? Is there really a God?
Or is this whole article supporting spirituality as a sort of "opiate
of the masses?" Of course, we can offer no conclusive answer here that
would satisfy all people. Still, Prof. David Myers offers the
following on the question of God's existence: "Sometimes, said
novelist Albert Camus, life calls us to make a 100 percent commitment
to something about which we are 51 percent sure. Mindful of our
capacity for error, we can retain humility and openness while betting
our lives on a worthy hope, a hope that nurtures peace and love and
justice, and joy." Although the above does not constitute proof for
the intellect, one's ability to be wise may sometimes depend on this
sort of worthy hope.


Happiness Series--Part 12




--Other Sources of Happiness. Over the past year we have examined the
question of happiness from a number of angles. We are grateful to
Prof. David Myers of Hope College and John Stossel of ABC-News for
providing 90 percent of the information and ideas found in this
Happiness Series so far. [Material was taken from the book by David
Myers, The Pursuit of Happiness and the ABC-News television transcript
"The Mystery of Happiness: Who Has It...How to Get It--With John
Stossel."]




The ABC-News Special mentioned in passing two other factors that they
felt led to happiness: laughter and extroversion (being outgoing with
other people). For many of us with schizophrenia it is rather hard to
be outgoing, although we often see inward people with our illness
become more talkative and interactive with other members when they
become involved with S.A. meetings. At the same time, increasing our
opportunities for laughter also appears to lead us to greater
happiness. Ways of doing this might be reading Peanuts on the comic
page, watching old Laurel and Hardy movies, seeing some funny
television shows, being around people who crack jokes, remembering
funny incidences from your life, or other ways to make you smile or
chuckle.




Professor David Myers has given us some additional insights on
happiness in a Psychology Today article (July/August 1993 issue). Much
of what he suggests we have already covered, but there are three other
items in his prescription for happiness that we might also consider:
savoring the moment, good self-esteem, and exercise.




This element of "savoring the moment" occurs when we aren't painfully
recounting the past or worrying ourselves to a frazzle about the
future. Instead we are mindful of the present with its combination of
duties and enjoyments. Certainly an appropriate level of retrospection
and planning is necessary to a sound life, but many experts believe
that happiness won't be served if the present is crowded out by the
past and future.




In the area of self-esteem, so many of us are willing to buy into the
words of our critics, but discount the good things about ourselves. We
all have good, positive characteristics and we can grow on these
traits. There are people in the world who will value us for who we are
and these people will affirm us despite our weak points and flaws.
We'll feel happier if we boost our self-esteem by owning up to what's
good about us and hoping to give it growth.




Prof. Myers also states that we will be happier if we "join the
movement movement," that is, if we exercise. He reports that numerous
studies conclude that mild depression and anxiety is reduced by
aerobic exercise. Furthermore, surveys show that physically fit people
are "more self-confident, unstressed, and in better spirits."
Ironically though, according to Myers, we need also to get our rest--
eight hours of sleep per night and smaller doses of solitude.




In his book, Prof. Myers pointed to two other elements that have a
bearing on happiness: expectations and comparisons. Our happiness can
vary depending on what our expectations of what our life should be
like for us. For instance, if we feel that we should be treated like a
princess or a crown prince we are bound to be unhappy due to our
unrealistic expectations. However, if we can look in a humbler light,
a simple sort of happiness might emerge.




Also, happiness varies with whom we compare ourselves to. This factor
is important to many with our illness. Many of us are hit with
unhappiness when we compare our state of life with family members or
old friends who are not ill and who have gone on to prosper. On the
other hand, we can often feel quite blessed when we compare our
situation with the plight of the mentally ill in impoverished Third
World countries. Gratitude can often prevail.


Happiness Series--Part 13




--Other Voices on the Subject. Until now, most of the information for
our Happiness Series has been taken from the compilation book written
by Prof. David Myers, as well as the ABC News Special on happiness
that was aired in 1996. In the July/August 1994 edition of Psychology
Today, three other experts on happiness from North American
universities were asked to discuss the subject matter, as summarized
below.




Alex C. Michalos, Ph.D. of the University of Guelph, Ontario believes
that the most important factor in happiness is good interpersonal
relations--with friends, family, and other loved ones. Next in line is
self esteem, productive jobs, and then physical health. On the
internal side, contentment, peace of mind, and satisfaction are
valued. Having interests helps, as well as having long and short term
goals. Prof. Michalos states that one-time "Big Bang" achievements
aren't as important to happiness as the sum total of all the small
successes we experience every day. And to be happy we must be active,
involved in purposeful activity to make the little successes happen.




John Reich, Ph.D. of Arizona State University emphasizes personal
mastery in the sense of the person being aware that he is the cause of
the events bringing him happiness. Also, the person would have enough
mastery to prevent the bad things that would happen in his or her
life. Reich feels that it is important to know what makes one happy,
to know what one's "happiness triggers" are. Second, the person must
know how to create these events. Third, there must be the motivation
to carry through and make the good things happen. [In terms of an
editorial cautionary note: It would seem that a lot of addictive
behavior uses a twisted form of this method for finding happiness. For
instance, an addict might consider that a street drug is a "happiness
trigger," would develop ingenious methods for obtaining the drug
(personal mastery), and then be highly motivated to expend the energy
(and take the high risks) towards getting and ingesting the substance.
Reich states that his conclusions are based on clinical interviews and
self-report measures that he has studied; he does not state that they
are the result of considerable scientific analysis.]




Ed Diener, Ph.D. of the University of Illinois turns to the scientific
data on happiness and repeats most the conclusions already stated by
Prof. David Myers. Beyond this, he states that biologically inherited
temperaments and dispositions may have more impact on personal
happiness than environmental factors. According to Diener: "Some
researchers have found that a larger heritability for unpleasant than
pleasant emotions, which suggests that environmental and situational
factors may have greater influence on happiness, whereas inborn
temperament may play a greater role in unhappiness." Prof. Diener goes
on to say that in the scientific data, physical attractiveness has
only a weak correlation with well-being and that intelligence shows no
correlation with happiness levels. Diener states that social
comparisons play a role, and that "happiness could be increased either
by increasing one's accomplishments, or by limiting one's
aspirations."




Mark Epstein, M.D., a psychiatrist from New York, wrote an article on
happiness for the July/August 1995 edition of Psychology Today. He
attempts to apply Eastern thinking to the subject of finding
happiness. He feels that "single-minded self-centeredness" is a
barrier to happiness--that seeking absolute gratification produces a
very unpleasant intolerance for frustration. Part of Epstein's answer
is to uproot self-centeredness, become less obsessed with one's Self,
and to become open to a sense of inner peace that arrives through this
change. He states: "Happiness, then, is the confidence that pain and
disappointment can be tolerated, that love will prove stronger than
aggression." Epstein believes that it is important to train one's mind
to be less self-obsessed, and suggests meditation as a method to do
this. And when there are difficulties--use problems as a source of
awakenings for growth.


Happiness Series--Part 14




--What about Unhappiness? We have spent over a year talking about
happiness. But, how about the times we're unhappy? The ABC News
television news special on happiness concluded by asking what sort of
good can come from the depths of unhappiness? ABC's John Stossel
said:




"If happiness is all we're about, don't we miss something?...Doesn't
unhappiness have benefits too? Pain may aid creativity. Some of the
world's most creative people have been at their best when they were
unhappy...Some good things can come out of pain...Beethoven was raised
by an alcoholic. He grew up tormented and sometimes suicidal, yet he
gave the world `Ode to Joy.'"




This whole idea of unhappiness having benefits is picked up by famous
self-help writer John Powell in his audio-tape, "Suffering: It can
Make You Bitter or Better." Powell claims that a period of unhappiness
can be a great teacher--that some of our most important victories are
painful or costly. Those of us in S.A. who experience painful shyness
can relate to this; at first it's hard, but as we gain confidence in
being outgoing, we grow in our ability to make friends in the group.




Powell speaks of the necessity of having a "previous mind-set" about
unhappiness, a sort of philosophy of explanation for unhappiness
already set in our heads. One example is that unhappiness can force us
to consider "deeper truths about living"--for when we suffer we are
forced to ask questions of ourselves that we never asked before.
Unhappiness can become a challenge to grow. The well-known Trappist
monk Thomas Merton felt that long periods of unhappiness were always a
prelude to an awakening or a "rebirth" in his life, that the way he
saw the world became more fresh and lucid than ever before.




Part of the answer to unhappiness, according to John Powell, is to
"walk with it for a while to learn its lessons." He believes that a
higher wisdom can be gained by those who become unhappy, whose
circumstances ask them to "climb a great mountain." This of course is
contingent on our attitude--that we decide not to become bitter in our
unhappiness. Instead we become better and grow. (Of course, Powell is
careful to warn us against coming to morbid conclusions: We shouldn't
look for torture chambers for ourselves; in fact, we should enjoy and
appreciate life. But when unhappiness does come our way, grow and gain
wisdom from the experience, and avoid the additional misery of
bitterness.)




Sometimes we're not only unhappy, we're forlorn about being unhappy.
It may seem that we're being cheated out of joyfulness while others
smile. But for some people, periods of unhappiness aren't a primary
concern. For these, happiness isn't the biggest deal of all, at least
not in the here and now. Many people from many different religions
place more emphasis on happiness in an afterlife that they believe
will come later. For many, present happiness can be sacrificed for the
hope of a better life to come.




S.A. can't attest one way or another to the facts on the above point.
We can report that scientific research surveys consistently show that
over 90 percent of the American public believe in a God, and that a
recent survey in Time magazine (3/24/97 issue) indicated that 81
percent of Americans "believe in the existence of heaven, where people
live forever with God when they die." Maybe there is more to think
about than happiness as we normally view it.




Finally, here is a short list of people who were very unhappy at
times. They had mood disorders. We are no doubt grateful that they
went on to add to our civilization. Michelangelo, Abraham Lincoln, Leo
Tolstoy, Winston Churchill, Victor Hugo, Isaac Newton, Peter
Tchaikovsky, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Wolf, Charles Dickens, Vincent
Van Gogh, Tennessee Williams, Robert Schumann....


Happiness Series--Part 15
(8-97)




--Conclusion. How do we sum up all this business on happiness? First
of all, those of us with mental illness need to be careful about self-
blame if we are unhappy. Scientists believe that 50 percent of the
equation on happiness is a result of inherited brain chemistry. As one
scientist interviewed on ABC-News said: "There are certain brains that
are more predisposed to experience happiness compared to other
brains." It would be a double injustice, if we psychologically beat up
on ourself over habitual unhappiness, or take seriously others who try
to do so, when in fact the source of the problem is something
biological over which we have little control.




We can take heart that human beings usually adjust to their
circumstances and return to their original state of happiness after
difficult periods. One study at the University of Illinois showed that
physically disabled students had the same reported levels of happiness
as able-bodied students, to within one percentage point. It might be
worth remembering that there can be meaning to periods of unhappiness--
that we might grow in unexpected ways if we are called to "climb a
great mountain" of difficulty.




We might want to be forewarned that a lot of the things that people
consistently want, and struggle to get, don't really bring lasting
happiness once obtained. A lot of different examples could be used to
illustrate this point; the most obvious example would be MONEY. Loads
of studies show that gaining lots of money doesn't result in people
having above-average levels of happiness over time. For instance, one
study of 49 of the wealthiest Americans (as listed in Forbes
magazine), found them to be only slightly happier than an average
person, and 37 percent of this group of wealthy people reported
happiness levels below the average person's.




If lots of money won't make us happy for long, what should we direct
our energies towards that will bring us a lasting sense of well-being?
Here's our best answer (and the answer of many experts). Invest in
caring relationships. Make friendships with people; enjoy their
company; learn to tolerate the difficulties of relationships; trade
favors; appreciate the people you really get to know well. Find
meaningful work. Part-time job, volunteer work, errands for members of
your family, housework, yard-work. Discover hobbies that absorb your
interest fully. Learn how to become optimistic. Become a
"goodfinder,"--that is, look for the good in others, in situations,
and in yourself. Become hopeful--learn to believe that in the long-run
things will be okay, or better. Scare away insecure ideas by positive
thinking. Ask your mental health professional for ways of
accomplishing this. Engage in responsible behaviors that will give you
more personal control of your life. Avoid "learned helplessness" by
directing your self-talk towards empowerment. Recognize that as you
become more responsible, you gain more freedom--and people are happier
when they are free. Consider trying Faith more deeply. Science cannot
prove the existence of God, but science has shown in study after study
that spiritual faith gives people the strength to cope with trying
circumstances, and even makes many people happier than they would have
otherwise been. Wisdom may call for Faith to prevail over doubts when
our very well-being is at stake. Of course, everyone has the right to
choose their own options on matters like this.




Finally, we would like to point out that all of the major items in the
above paragraph can be accomplished by going to S.A. meetings, by
working the S.A. program, and by becoming involved in S.A. activities.
When Joanne V. and the early members were designing the S.A. program,
they were unconsciously saying, "We want you to be happy! This is a
way for you to find some happiness." Whether by the Six Steps, or our
program philosophy, or by the simple element of fellowship that S.A.
has to offer, the basic means to happiness as prescribed by top
experts are found in Schizophrenics Anonymous. So let's keep trying to
work the program, and become beneficiaries of happy moments.





Happiness Series--Update #1




--New Studies. The last part of the Happiness Series (Part 15) was run
in the August 1997 edition of the S.A. Group Leaders Circular. We will
keep you up to date on any new studies on the question of happiness.
Such a new survey research piece was published in USA Weekend in the
July 3-5, 1998 edition. We are happy to report that most of the
results confirm what we said in previous parts of the Happiness
Series.




The poll used for the data was conducted by Opinion Research
Corporation International, and surveyed 1,003 American adults. The
margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points, though survey
questions of subgroups had a larger margin or error.




Some results:




* Most people report being happy. When asked to rate their happiness
on a scale of 1-10, 67 percent of all adults rated their happiness at
8 or higher. There was little difference between men and women on this
measure. (The figures listed below are based on the percentage scale
described in this paragraph.) The average rating in the poll was 7.8
on the scale, regardless of race or sex.




* People of all ages reported being very happy, though there was a
higher percentage of people above age 55 reporting such happiness
(71%) than those aged 18-24 (60%).




* People living in metropolitan areas were quite happy (65 percent of
them), but slightly below those living in more rural areas (73
percent).




* People in all income groups reported being quite happy, though this
measure for those with incomes below $15,000 was 60 percent, compared
to 73 percent for those earning more than $50,000.




* Level of education may make some difference. Some 71 percent of
college graduates reported being very happy, compared to 56 percent
for high school drop-outs.




* A sense of togetherness may increase the chances. People living in
single households reported being quite happy (57 percent of them did),
but this is lower than households of two people (72 percent), or of
three or more people (67 percent).




According to the USA Weekend article: "Spiritual, physical and
emotional well-being are the real cornerstones of joy." Health is
viewed in the study as being of the utmost importance. After holding
health constant in the survey data, some 47 percent of the respondents
cited spirituality as being the most important factor influencing
personal happiness; some 38 percent cited being loved as the most
important factor; having a satisfying job ranked next at 7 percent;
and only four percent of those surveyed reported that making a high
income was the most important factor in personal happiness.




Another very important point in the USA Weekend article is the notion
that a certain amount of happiness is inborn. David Lykken, Ph.D., a
behavioral geneticist at the University of Minnesota is quoted in the
article as saying: "We have a happiness set point which is 50 percent
or more genetically affected." He suggests: "If you want to stay above
your set point, instead of dreaming of gold, do the little day-to-day
things you get a kick out of." Still scientists strongly suggest that
inborn temperament may affect how we feel, if we are happy or unhappy
at some moment.


Happiness Series--Update #2
(4-99)




--More on "USA Weekend" Article. According to the July 3-5, 1998 issue
of "USA Weekend," two-thirds of Americans say they are very happy. In
fact, on scale of happiness between 1-10, one-fifth reported a 10.
Half of those in the survey said that they're happier than Oprah
Winfrey and Bill Gates. Are these reports self-deluded? The article
quotes happiness expert Prof. David Myers as saying: "The final judge
of someone's subjective well-being is whoever lives inside that
person's skin."




What can those of us who are unhappy learn from those who are?
According to the article: "Experts say happy people exhibit traits
associated with well-being, such as being more loving, trusting,
energetic and sociable." Here are some of the article's conclusions on
the subject:




* "Younger isn't better: Most people are happiest at their current
age."

The data show that younger people aren't any happier than older
people, even though older people are more concerned about their
health.




* "Religion is vital." The article said: "Religion provides a sense of
purpose, experts say, and a social structure for healthy living...Duke
University research found that those who attend religious services at
least once a week have healthier immune systems. Spirituality gives
them mental well-being, too. `They have a better network to draw from
for emotional support and health care,' says one expert. `If you're
sick within a religious network, you have 30 people interested in
seeing you healthy.'" [S.A.'s social network and S.A.'s spirituality
seeks to provide similar benefits.]




* "Health matters more than wealth." Most people who reported being
healthy also reported being happy. Less than ten percent polled said
that satisfying work and high income were the most important thing
leading to happiness. More than half of those making less than $15,000
said they were very happy.

* "Part-timers and retirees are happier than full-time
workers." [NOTE: The percentages for these categories were all within
ten points of each other.]




* "People who live with others are happier than those who live
alone." [Though 57 percent of those living alone reported being very
happy.]




* "People whose parents divorced are not as happy as those from intact
families." [Again these research conclusions are based on broad
statistics and as worded don't account for individual differences. In
fact, in the data there was less than a ten percent difference between
the two categories.]




* "`Extremely happy' people are active and social." The article cites
as examples: visiting places of worship, exercise, meditating and
praying, or reading certain literature.




Question: With all this happiness going around, why do some of us need
antidepressants? We mustn't forget the role of biochemical
predispositions to mood problems, or the role of difficult events that
occur every once in a while during a person's life. According to
another study, about 10 percent of the respondents said they were
unhappy. Compare this to federal government data that says that in any
one month, 9.6 million Americans (or 5.2 percent of the population)
has a depression-oriented disorder. This figure jumps to 17.5 million
Americans (9.5 percent of the population) having a depressive disorder
sometime in a one-year period. [Above data is from "National Institute
of Mental Health Update"--July 1993. Depressive disorders involved
include manic-depressive illness, major depression, and dysthymia.
Also in the same report, 7.3 percent of Americans had anxiety problems
during a one month period, and this jumps to 12.6 percent for a year.]