Articles of Health

If you were to conduct a random survey about what makes people happy, many people’s answer would probably involve fantasies about winning the mother-load on the lottery.   Most assume that multiplying the moolah will create a corresponding boost in ecstasy, but it’s a sad fact that the more money we have the unhappier we’ve become.  Before you assume I’m one of the Mother-Grundy’s who believes in the nobility of poverty, let me assure you that your assertion would be wrong.  I’ve often said that if I’m going to be miserable, I’d rather be gloomy in a Ferrari than glum in a clapped out old Ford!   When it comes to money I just love the stuff but, the reality is, it’s not the currency of long-term happiness or fulfilment. It’s puzzling that world-over more people have more money than ever before, but instead of seeing the well-heeled bouncing off the walls with glee, moneyed people are experiencing more misery, fear, anxiety and depression than their parents or grandparents before them.  This mental malaise starts with the middle class - a creation of the previous century - and for those of us raised in the set straddling minority rich and majority poor, we are likely to be either the first or second generation to be pulling in big bucks.  For the first time we have more than enough money to cover our basic survival needs and because this is a new situation we’re not yet adept at dealing with it. Past realities dictated that only the toffee-nosed members of the upper class could entertain fame and fortune but, with today’s abundant opportunities, anyone with talent and determination can make it. Naturally many people get caught up comparing their existence to the lifestyles of the rich and famous but trying to emulate the superficial aspirations portrayed by E! TV makes them lose sight of who they are.  So the never ending cycle of striving and spending is poisoning our minds making us sick and tired … and poor. Oliver James’ diagnostic title of his book labels this malaise Affluenza; which he defines as a contagious middle class virus causing depression, anxiety, addiction and ennui and the symptoms include:  ·         Insecurity:  Unrealistically comparing yourself with others (like Donald Trump or Britney Spears for instance) and deciding that you fall short. ·         Alienation:  Feeling disconnected because our relationships are based on expedience and, such a high priority is put on selfish achievements that there’s little energy left to form real bonds within our close relationships. ·         Feeling Incompetent:  Comparisons mean that no matter how successful you are it’ll never be enough.  This breeds high levels of self-criticism and rampant anxiety. ·         Inauthenticity and feeling like you’ve been hypnotised: Not recognising that the biggest price to be paid for consumerism is being all consumed by it; even to the point of being bought and sold like commodities ourselves. James claims that the virus has reached pandemic proportions in the English speaking world because we insist upon confusing our wants with our needs.   Centuries ago, hunter-gatherer people spent 30 – 40% of their time on food activities such as collecting, preserving, storing etc.  But today to our food basket we’ve added palatial homes, luxury cars, home-entertainment systems, needless appliances, unused gym or slimming equipment and wardrobes full of Hollywood-style clothing.  Then once we’ve got the first model (of anything) much like hamsters we start scurrying on the wheel to afford the next and the latest one after that.  In itself this has more than doubled the time we spend working and our exhaustion has virtually eradicated our appetite for enjoying life. It’s no wonder that the more time-saving devices we’ve invented, the less time we have to live because we’re so busy acquiring things to impress other people who are too busy to notice as they’re doing the same thing themselves.  And we’re stuck on the wheel.  If we don’t join the Joneses and swap our cash for trendy trash, then we feel inadequate, fuelling the anxiety and depression cycle.  If we do, then we dent our cash-flow or increase the debt-trap, further intensifying our anxiety and depression.  It’s the dilemma that the actress Lily Tomlin was referring to when she said:  ‘The problem with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat!’ In Food is Better Medicine than Drugs Patrick Holford claims that resorting to mind-numbing chemicals, like anti-depressants, has made these drugs the third most prescribed in the world.  If we don’t address the real reasons why we’re down in the dumps, Harvard University warns that depression is likely to pose one of the leading health risks by 2020.  If this proves true then perhaps we could cheer ourselves up far more by buying shares in the company’s that produce these little happy pills rather than by swallowing them. The most potent cure for moneyed-malaise is to fulfil our human need to make a difference.  Martin Seligman - founder of a new field called ‘Positive Psychology’ - shows that making other lives breathe easier is the only means of creating lasting happiness.  This isn’t about altruism; it’s about getting feedback that tells us our own lives matter.  It’s why making a difference produces a far more positive rush than regularly contributing to the already healthy profits of Gucci or Gabbana.  We are virtually immune to the virus if we stop pretending and show up as our authentic selves.  Along with authenticity, Affluenza’s immunisation kit also includes ‘vivacity’ and ‘playfulness’.  By vivacity James means having a zest for life or, in other words, doing things that you enjoy to release your life-force or energy.  Instead of spending time trawling shopping centres or sitting around bemoaning life’s misery, make someone else happy or just have some fun.   Money is not the culprit making us miserable; we’ve done this to ourselves. Rather than striving to be important, we’ll be happier and more fulfilled if we take the time and trouble to find out what’s really important to us and then just do it!   You can read also amoxil order