Mental Health

Did you know that being kind is associated with being happier; having a healthier heart; ageing more slowly and having better quality relationships? According to Dr. Happy, "The positive emotion we experience as a result of just selfishly pursuing what’s best for us doesn’t go deep and it doesn’t last long. In contrast, one of the most significant contributors to genuine, lasting happiness is connecting with others. The quality (and to a lesser extent the number) of our relationships indubitably reflects the quality of our lives; including the extent to which we enjoy satisfaction and contentment." In this post, Dr. Happy explains why loneliness and isolation are major contributors to poor mental health and offers his top tips on how to enjoy a healthier and happier life.

Do you have a habit of jumping to conclusions quickly? According to Dr. Happy, "One of the greatest misperceptions of human functioning and especially, human thinking, is that we are, by and large, rational creatures. Although there’s no doubt we can and do think logically at times, there’s also no doubt that much of our thinking, much of the time, is nowhere near as rational or as accurate as we assume it to be." In this article, Dr Happy discusses some of the more common 'distortions' or 'thinking mistakes' we make and offers his advice on what we can do to combat these unhelpful and often unrealistic thoughts.

Do you fear that you will be judged by others in social situations? Do your fears cause you to avoid groups of people or group events because you think you might embarrass yourself? If you answered yes to these questions, then you're probably experiencing social anxiety. According to mental health expert and psychologist, Dr. Happy, "The most common example of social anxiety is a fear of public speaking; but it can also be experienced as extreme anxiety associated with eating or drinking in public, signing one’s name under scrutiny, and even using public toilet facilities. At the heart of social anxiety for everyone, however, is a fear of negative evaluation." The good news is that treatments for social anxiety are relatively effective for most people, most of the time, and relatively quickly. In this article, Dr. Happy discusses social phobia and provides his advice on how to manage these fears.