Jul 26, 2011 02:23 PM
According to positive psychologists, we're all born with a particular happiness setpoint: our natural disposition or inclination for happiness. It's part of our DNA. I like to think of it as a thermostat for our happiness.
The interesting thing about our happiness setpoint/thermostat is that when people experience a catastrophe in their life, like the loss a loved one or they lose a limb or they get paralyzed from the waist down, within about six months to two years they go right back to the happiness level they experienced before the catastrophe. In other words, their happiness thermostat kicks in and they return to their happiness setpoint.
At the other end of the spectrum, when people have an extremely positive experience like winning the lottery, their happiness thermostat kicks in and they too go back to their happiness setpoint within about six months to two years.
Have you ever known someone who has always exhibited a high level of happiness and joy? My niece is like that. From the time she was a baby she was always smiling and excited about whatever it was she was doing.
On the flip-side, have you ever known someone who is less than happy most of the time? Some people have a relatively low happiness setpoint or thermostat. They seem to be consistently gloomier than their happier counterparts.
Positive psychologists say that our happiness setpoint represents 50% of our happiness. So the $64,000 question is, "Can we increase our happiness setpoint, and if so, how?"
In my researching, reading over 100 books, white papers, and trade journals on the subjects of happiness, positive psychology, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, hypnosis, metaphysics, etc., I have found that you indeed can increase your happiness setpoint. Specifically, there are three ways you can do it.
3 Ways to Increase Your Happiness Setpoint
1. Anti-depressant drugs. This is the fastest way to increase your happiness setpoint, but not necessarily the best option of the three. If you suspect that you have a chemical imbalance or are severely depressed, by all means seek the help of a competent professional.
Buyer beware: a recent Supreme Court ruling exempts generic drug companies from having to update their labeling to reflect any newly observed side-effects or adverse reactions.
So if you're going to use generic versions of brand name drugs, Google the name of the drug plus the word "manufacturer" to quickly find the brand name drug company and go to their website to view the latest label warnings, observed side-effects or adverse reactions so you can make informed decisions.
The list of negative side effects is extensive and includes nausea, diarrhea, headaches, loss of libido, suicide increase 200% in children and adolescents, drowsiness, dizziness, weight gain or loss, etc., etc. Anti-depressant drugs are meant to be a short-term solution.
You might want to consider the second and third ways below before deciding to use anti-depressant drugs.
Side note: a study done by Duke University in 2000 showed that exercise is as effective as Zoloft – a popular antidepressant – at treating mild to moderate depression, and more effective at preventing its recurrence.
2. Cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy is meant to address the root cause of the problem and offer new options/beliefs for re-presenting the world (in your mind) to support higher levels of sustained, unconditional happiness.
Donald Franklin, Ph.D. regarding Cognitive Therapy for Depression, wrote, "the essence of cognitive therapy is the assumption that irrational thoughts and beliefs, overgeneralization of negative events, a pessimistic outlook on life, a tendency to focus on problems and failures, and negative self assessment, as well as other cognitive distortions, promote the development of psychological problems, especially depression. Psychologists use cognitive therapy to help you identify and understand how these cognitive distortions affect your life. Cognitive therapy helps you to change, so that these issues will not rule your life."
Cognitive therapy includes traditional or general psychotherapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Hypnotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), etc.
To find a qualified cognitive therapist in your area, Google "cognitive therapists" and your city and state. Example: cognitive therapists, Nashville, TN. Or go to therapists.psychologytoday.com and do a find there.
I'll reveal the third option (my favorite) for increasing your happiness setpoint/thermostat next month. It's not physical exercise, although physical exercise helps.
David Humes is a productivity and happiness expert. He's a certified clinical hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner. He's the coauthor of 'Stepping Stones to Success' with Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, and Denis Waitley. David is an internationally certified 3rd degree black belt in Wado-Ryu karate. For more information, visit http://DavidHumes.com Copyright © 2011 by David Humes. All rights reserved in all media throughout the universe.
