Mental Health

Alcohol affects people in different ways. According to Mental Health Expert and Psychologist Dr. Happy, “Although alcohol appears to have a positive impact initially, and it can be fun and cause an improvement in mood in the very short term, over the medium to longer term it affects brain chemistry; and not in a good way. Alcohol disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters which can cause depression, anxiety and even anger and irritability.” Learn more from Dr. Happy about the effects of alcohol on your body and your mental health.

When you get back from holidays almost instantly they seem like a distant memory and you’re back into your everyday life and post-holiday blues set in. We chatted with mental health expert Dr. Happy, about his top tips for overcoming post-holiday blues while also creating more happiness and a better life.

Does music boost productivity in the workplace? Well, the simple answer is yes. Psychologist and mental health expert, Dr. Happy explains “listening to music can increase the speed with which people complete tasks; and improve the quality of ideas people have.” In his latest article for HIF, Dr. Happy shares the benefits that music can have at work, while remembering that one person’s Mozart is another person’s Justin Bieber!

For many people, the festive season is a wonderful and happy time. For others, however, this time of year can actually be very difficult. The festive season can be a period that reinforces the extent to which people feel alone, or serves as a reminder of loss. For some it’s a very busy work period and no time for celebrations or even any rest. Whomever you are and where ever you fit there are several strategies that can help. In his latest article for HIF, mental health expert, Dr. Happy from The Happiness Institute shares five things you can do to have a (relatively) merry festive season.

It's great to have goals. Often, our goals are about changes we want to make in our lives - like eating right, getting fit, or doing better at work or school. The easy part is knowing what change you want to make, but the challenge is planning how to get there and sticking to it. With this in mind, mental health expert Dr. Happy, shares his simple strategy on how to achieve your goals by implementing positive changes.

Many of us are often guilty of speaking before thinking, even to ourselves. But, have you ever thought about how self-talk and the way we speak to others can have an impact on their mental health? In his latest article for HIF, Dr. Happy shares his expert advice on how to be more mindful with others and improving positive self-talk.  

Did you know that 8 people take their lives each and every day in Australia? And for every one of these people who takes their lives approximately another 20 make an attempt to take their lives.  According to Psychologist and mental health expert, Dr. Happy, “Not everyone suffering mental ill-health will be curled up in a corner or tucked under their doona. Many more, in fact, will be sitting beside you on the bus or train, at work, or chatting to you over coffee or lunch. Take a minute, then, to ask ALL your friends and family, your colleagues and acquaintances if they’re OK today; it won’t take up much of your time and I guarantee it won’t be something you regret.”  In this article, Dr. Happy shares his own personal experience with mental health and the advice he has to offer.

Did you know that mental illness among Tradies is 6-7% higher than the general population? As a culture dominated by the “tough male” stereotype (i.e. a man, that is, who doesn’t complain or seek help), this means that between 70-80% are suffering excessively and more importantly in silence. As August is “Tradies’ National Health Month (TNHM)”, we asked our mental health expert and psychologist, Dr. Happy to discuss the importance about speaking out about mental ill-health and encouraging others to speak out and seek help too.