Perceiving patterns where none exist, a psychological phenomenon called pattern perception, is a mental coping mechanism used by many people to combat uncertainty when events spin their lives out of control (see our June 10 post). It’s a phenomenon that’s on the rise in these times of economic uncertainty where rising unemployment, catastrophic investment losses, […]
Economic Recession Means Back to Basics
A prosperous economy and everything is good. An economic recession and everything is bad. This is the case if your happiness depends on material things. Of course, everyone feels better when there are no kinks in the system and you don’t have to think about money (because you have enough of it). And most people […]
Stress, Depression Plague Collegiates
College students are feeling the pressure, and they’re not just worrying about grades. Money and relationships are creating as much stress and depression on college campuses as schoolwork, according to a recent Associated Press-mtvU poll of college students on 40 campuses. Of the collegiates polled, 85% reported daily feelings of stress, the Associated Press reported. […]
Army Suicides Increase Each Year
The US Army recently released the statistics for 2008 of numbers of army suicides. Since 2004 the numbers have been increasing to now 128 active duty soldiers and 43 non-active duty soldiers. These 2008 numbers correspond to a suicide rate of 20 per 100,000 personnel. If you look at the suicide rate of the US […]
Is Happiness Contagious?
Happiness has the same ripple effect as dropping a pebble in a pond. Its effect radiates outward in ever-greater rings, affecting everyone it touches, brightening each person’s life in turn. Surrounding yourself with happy people, just being near a happy person, even knowing someone who knows a happy person, makes you happier. Happiness is contagious, […]
June Bride, July Blues
There’s something about June and brides. Surpassed only by Valentine’s Day as America’s most popular wedding date, thousands of brides choose to be married in June. For the typical year it takes to plan a modern American wedding, these women, and often their mothers (and to a slightly lesser extent their intended and both families), […]