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- Page navigation anchor for RE: Prescribing HappinessRE: Prescribing Happiness
1. IDENTIFY YOUR "WHY" FOR EXISTING and LIVING? WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?
If what you treasure is ephemeral, it will always inevitably fail you.“Suffering ceases to be suffering in some way, in the moment it finds meaning” and “Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.”
Frankl, V. E. (1992). Man's search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy (4th ed.) (I. Lasch, Trans.). Boston, MA, US: Beacon Press.
2. LIVE AN "ANTI-INFLAMMATORY LIFESTYLE" that follows the Circadian Rhythm (DIET, SLEEP, EXERCISE, DESTRESS, DETOX)
Raison, C. L., & Miller, A. H. (2011). Is depression an inflammatory disorder?. Current psychiatry reports, 13(6), 467–475. doi:10.1007/s11920-011-0232-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3285451/Panda, S. (2018). The circadian code: lose weight, supercharge your energy, and sleep well every night. London: Vermilion.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/592260/the-circadian-code-by-sa...3. ALWAYS BE THANKFUL FOR THE BLESSINGS YOU DO HAVE and BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS
Cunha, L. F., Pellanda, L. C., & Reppold, C. T. (2019). Positive Psychology and Gratitude Interventions: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Frontiers in p...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: Prescribing HappinessRE: Prescribing Happiness
Happiness comes from connection- connection with self (eg. knowing yourself, what you value and want in life, even if it's not currently attainable; taking time for yourself), connection with others (eg. talking with friends or spending time with a pet, supporting a cause, participating in community events) and connection with nature. Now, to follow my own advice!
Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: prescribing happinessRE: prescribing happiness
1. Spend active time outdoors, preferably in a natural environment every day;
2. Think about 3 things you are grateful for every morning;
3. Surround yourself with supportive people.Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: prescribing happinessRE: prescribing happiness
Sadness, regret, stress, worry... these symptoms are so common.
I try not to give advice as most people know an answer for symptoms. Common answers include:
1) Forgive yourself;
2) Forgive others;
3) Unplug;
4) Budget sleep in your day;
5) It's okay to say “No”;
6) Live for today, not yesterday;
7) Get outside.Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: Prescribing HappinessRE: Prescribing Happiness
(1) Practice self compassion: what would you tell your best friend if they were in your shoes?
(2) Set aside 1 minute every day to think of and be grateful for something good that happened that day.
(3) . Move your body enough so that it gets sweaty for at least 150 minutes every week.And if I may be allowed a 4th.......(4) Spend less time with any device that transmits information that you find upsetting / distressing; spend more time in nature or with people you care about.
Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for prescribing happinessprescribing happiness
Many of my unhappy patients have a common attribute: an external locus of control. And no wonder they are unhappy- we all know how stressful it is to be caught in an unpleasant situation over which we have no control. Imagine, then, what it must be like to go through life with the impression that EVERYTHING is outside your control? Fortunately, with practice, people can foster a sense of self-efficacy. My advice is that these people start a journal and every day, they write down three things that went well that day, and why. The 'three things that went well' part helps them focus on some positive things in their lives, and the 'why' part causes them to see the role they sometimes have in things going well. Building an internal locus of control gives people hope that they may be able to change things for the better, and confidence to take steps to improve their lives.
I also recommend doing something constructive every day. This also builds self-efficacy and a sense of accomplishment. I think we do people a huge disservice when we take them off work due to depression. There is nothing more depressing than sitting on the sofa all day, without human interaction or a sense of having anything important to do. I often suggest that people seek out different work if they are unhappy with their present employment- but some sort of work or project (even if it's on a volunteer basis, if for example you're disabled, retired or independently wealth...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: Prescribing happinessRE: Prescribing happiness
Sound advice to help your unhappy patients and yourself on the path to happiness:
1. Read the Christian scriptures to find out what people are to believe about our Creator, and what he requires from us as his creatures (the moral law).
2.Repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which explains in a clear and compelling manner all that is wrong with ourselves and with the world (why there is sin and misery here, as well as happiness), and provides the only (loving and personal) solution.
3. Join with other believers as we strive against the destructive path that some in our culture are taking and even boasting about as 'Courage and Dedication'(see article by Paul Sawchuk, p.669 CFP Vol. 65). Life is a battle- make sure you are fighting on the side of peace!Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: happinessRE: happiness
Happiness, according to the psychiatrist Gordon Livingston, requires three things;
1.Something to do;
2. Someone to love;
3. Something to look forward to.Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: prescribe happinessRE: prescribe happiness
I deal with chronic pain.The pain messages travel up the spino-thalamic tract to the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus, which shares its connections with the para-ventricular nucleus which deals with anxiety and depression. It is not surprising that people in pain are depressed. Relieving or removing this pain by finding the cause and treating it and seeing the smiles of joy and relief people experience is the most rewarding aspect of treating these people. 89% of those I treat find relief, which makes my practice very rewarding. To help people become happy, medical schools should be teaching the numerous ways chronic pain can be diagnosed and treated. Unfortunately, non-pharmacological treatments, such as nerve blocks or prolotherapy take time and require training. It is not surprising that today's family physicians who are trapped on the 40 patients per day production line, who do not have this pleasure and whose patients are depressed and clamouring for more narcotics, are experiencing burnout.
Competing Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: HappinessRE: Happiness
Advice for patient that may help with happiness:
1. Exercise
2. Help others
3. Nourish personal relationships, pets includedCompeting Interests: None declared.