Depression: A Laughing Matter?  The secret STIGMA lurking in my subconscious 

Fifty percent of the room had had it, or something similar, but nobody wanted to admit it.

What happens when you captivate the attention a big bar full of strangers, get them all laughing, then suddenly challenge them without warning  to “put your hand up if you’ve ever had depression?”

I was about put my hand up and let out a gratifying “yes!” but something held me back.  My shoulder twitched upwards, then down, then back up again as I quickly glanced around the packed bar to see if anyone else was going to admit it.

Depression and Anxiety: A Laughing Matter – part 1

As a quick fix for a low mood, there is nothing quite like a good belly laugh. But have you ever thought of it is a cost-effective form of treatment for anxiety and depression?

Next week I will bring you an amazing interview from one of Australia’s funniest comedians –who has been working with PSYCoaching to spread his unique insights about mental health and the great work he has been doing to help adults and kids lift their spirits.

Why So Serious?

There are times when it is not easy for us to get out of our heads and appreciate the world around us with a sense of intrigue and curiosity.  There are times when we find ourselves   “stuck in our heads” and dwelling on our problems.

Nice one: being kind makes you happier, healthier and more attractive

Thanks to Sandy Smith from the Canberra times for this enlightening piece, originally published on 13/11/14.

As well as making others feel good, there is evidence that people who spread a little kindness are happier, healthier and more attractive than their mean-spirited peers says mental health professional.
With World Kindness Day being celebrated around the world today, what better excuse is there to muster up some good intentions and show kindness to others?

Clinical psychologist Jo Lamble from Sydney explains how carrying out random acts of kindness will make you happy.

“Research tells us that having a strong sense of meaning and giving to others is the best way to find happiness. Being kind lowers our stress levels, which means less cortisol running through our system, lower blood pressure, better sleep, and stronger immune systems”

National Psychology Week – Tips for wellbeing

Feeling Flat, anxious or depressed?  National Psychology Week (9-16 November) is as good-a-time as ever to take control of your mental health!  Start by following these tips from the Australian Psychological Society and think about how to get your life on track:

1. Identifying the benefits of change

Think about how your lifestyle is affecting your health and happiness: is your current lifestyle costing you your health? Do you avoid activities or social events due to your health or weight? Would making a change actually benefit you?

Is it worth trying to be happy? The long awaited answers are here!

Apologies for keeping people hanging on this one. I have been enjoying life away from the computer with a trip around the USA and Canada. My last post was one that I wanted to get out there so much that I did it all via my mobile phone. Apologies for any typos that popped up in the process.
I often define the happy and fulfilling life to my clients as a balance of connection to people, connection to nature and connection to a purpose. The latter may include hobbies, projects, and family roles. For many, connection to a greater purpose or a greater good is also valued (be it community / country / a god etc). I find that travelling helps me really connect to new environments that are beautiful, new and therefore stimulating. I find that connecting to people from other cultures helps strengthen my sense of identity about where I fit in the world, and I love connecting to and learning from people from other parts of the world and realising our shared values. More importantly, I just love to “shoot the sh**” and have a good time. That’s a great thing to have in common.

Is it worth trying to be happy? Part 2: The results

Firstly,

Apologies for this having taken so long. I have been overseas working on my knowledge, connection to people and connection to nature.

A couple of weeks ago I posted the following Quiz:

Which of the following were scientifically proven to correlate with happiness*?

-wealth
-physical health
-education
-socio-political climate (ie your system of government)
-age
-gender
-religion
-race
climate (weather)
-number of friends
-marriage

I asked you to take a guess about what the findings may have been be from large randomized controlled surveys conducted across thousands of people (mainly in the Americas ) from a mix of different backgrounds on what happy people have in common.

So here are the trends suggested by recent research:

Wealth
A cross-national survey involving thousands of adults indicated that once gross national product exceeds $8,000 per person, added wealth brings no further life satisfaction. in summary, being poor seems to have a negative effect on happiness, and being rich does not have a significant effect on happiness overall. In very poor nations, where poverty threatens life itself, being rich does predict greater well-being. In wealthier nations, where basic needs are generally met, even the fabulously rich are not substantially happier.

-physical health
-education
-sociopolitical climate (ie your system of government)
-age
-gender
-religion
-race
climate (weather)
-number of friends
-marriage

Is it worth trying to be happy?

Is it worth trying to be happy? The science has been tested and the stats are in!

Actually, valid and reliable scientific findings about what makes us happy have been coming in for the last 10 years or so.

QUIZ
Which of the following were scientifically proven to correlate with happiness*?

-wealth
-physical health
-education
-sociopolitical climate (ie your system of government)
-age
-gender
-religion
-race
climate (weather)
-number of friends
-marriage

Before I give you the “answers” to the questions above – why not to try for yourself and post your queations or thoughts on the psycoaching website, Linkedin, Google+ or Facebook page. Or contact me privately through the Psycoaching website contact page.