Reason for an Increasing Number of Unhappy People

In Life, we experience a lot of situations that make us Unhappy. Unhappiness comes in different forms such as the grief of losing someone, low spirits, failure, loneliness, lack of fulfillment, etc.

Thus, feeling unhappy is not unusual. However, the relentless feeling of unhappiness is unusual.

Your feelings of happiness or unhappiness are determined by different patterns, such as behavioral patterns (how someone acts) and cognitive patterns (how someone thinks).

However, achieving happiness is difficult for some people, and may require some lifestyle changes.  In this article, you will discover some common behavioral and cognitive patterns responsible for persistent unhappiness in some people.

1. Staying Indoors

Relentless unhappiness may be related to a lack of outdoor activities. For example, it has been found through research-based studies that spending some time in nature can increase happiness and lack of outdoor activities has been related to unhappiness.

When you participate in outdoor activities, you will notice an improvement in cognitive functioning and in the immune system. A healthy body contributes to a healthy mind. If you stay indoors for long periods of time, you will notice an increase in stress and anxiety leading to unhappiness.

2. Competition

It is important to remember that every person is born with special talents. Therefore, it is imprudent and fruitless to compete with others. You are on a track that is not being pursued by others. Therefore, your competition is with no one but yourself. 

Happiness comes from inner peace which can be achieved when you stop competing with others. If you can recognize your unique strengths while accepting your weaknesses, then you can properly utilize your talents to accomplish better results in different areas of life. 

3. Not Spending Time Alone

It is essential to spend some time alone in order to feel rejuvenated and to connect to your inner self. Decide how to spend ‘me-time’ and choose the activities that seem relaxing.

For example, you may walk in the park, meditate, sip a cup of coffee while enjoying nature, listen to music, read a book, or go on a trip by yourself. It does not matter how the solitary hours are spent as long as you spend some time alone.

4. Isolating Yourself

Human beings are called social animals. They depend upon each other for survival,  so living in isolation can cause significant psychological distress leading to dejection and loss of mental wellness.

It is essential for every human being to have meaningful conversations with other humans on a daily basis. Many research studies have shown that:

• About half of Americans do not have meaningful in-person interactions on a regular basis

• About 40% of people in different parts of Europe have one meaningful interaction with friends or family each month

The lack of in-person interaction can cause boredom, loneliness, and unhappiness. Psychologists also believe that low human contact  may cause various adverse health conditions, such as:

• Depression
• Bad quality of sleep
• Poor executive function
• Poor cardiovascular function
• Cognitive decline
• Poor immunity at different stages of life

5. You Don’t Do More Things that You Love

The concept of time does not work on children. They like to act according to their wishes. They can dance whenever they want or play whenever they want as long as they finish the assigned tasks.

However, an adult cannot behave impulsively. They have to follow a routine and have many responsibilities. They have to learn to balance their personal and professional lives.

Your hectic schedule may prevent you from enjoying any recreational activities or from pursuing your hobby. Not engaging in fun activities may lead to boredom and might make you unhappy. Hence, it is essential to find some time for recreational activities or hobbies at least a few days a week.

6. Envy

It is fruitless to compare yourself to others or to others’ lives. It leads to envy and results in discontent. In this digital age, it has become easier to build connections and maintain contact.

However, people have the tendency to display every highlight of their life on social media these days. Because of this, you may compare your life to another’s life. This comparison may bring complacency or discontent depending upon the outcome.

The discontentment will lead to envy and you will end up feeling unhappy. So don’t compare yourselves to others. You may compare your past actions to your present actions and find out if you are performing or feeling better or worse than before.

7. Lack of Exercise and Poor Nutrition

According to the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine – “People who were inactive were more than twice as likely to be unhappy as those who remained active.” Feelings of positivity are directly related to exercise.

Your brain releases dopamine, endorphins, adrenaline, and endocannabinoid when you exercise or do any type of physical activity. These chemicals are known to increase feelings of happiness and confidence while reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Thus, lack of exercise may lead to feelings of sadness.

Many research-based studies have shown that happiness is linked to diet. Your brain will receive adequate nourishment if you include nutritious food (fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, whole grains, seafood, or lean meat) in your diet.

Your mood will improve when you have a healthy brain. Consumption of fatty foods or carbohydrate-rich foods that contains no natural fiber may cause fatigue leading to loss of temper.

8. Guilt and Shame, Persecution Mania, and Public Opinion

You will suffer from chronic anxiety when you measure your actions based upon others’ opinions. There will always be someone to criticize your actions or words. You cannot make everyone happy at the same time.

In this digital age, your life is exposed to a larger circle of acquaintances through social media. Therefore, you have a larger circle of criticizers. Letting their opinions affect how you live your life is a sure way to be unhappy.

You suffer from persecution mania if you believe that people are always thinking of you in a negative or positive light. This nature may cause anxiety and unhappiness. You may even suffer from guilt and shame if you value the opinion of the public more than your own opinion.

Conclusion

Life is a journey. You do not know when this journey will end or where it may lead you. However, it is within your capacity to make the best use of every moment of your life.

Some moments of your life will bring grief, loneliness, dejection, rejection, and failure while other moments will bring enjoyment, achievements, love, and affection. Enjoy the journey called life instead of focusing on the events or factors that cause unhappiness.

If you find this article interesting, show some love by sharing it or leaving a comment.

Find more articles on Divine You Wellness. Login or Register with us to stay updated. Click here.