Are you suffering from a chronic lack of happiness? There are some signs to watch out for, but there’s also a solution.
Being a chronically unhappy person is not a good thing. A lack of happiness makes us unable to enjoy what we have, who we are, what we achieve or our relationships, plus it negatively affects quality of life and even performance at work, and this is why we should all be looking for it.
The thing about happiness is that it is not always attainable, there are times when you simply will not feel it and when it may seem that everything is gray and horrible, and this can become chronic.
According to the Mayo Clinic, this is known as dysthymia, which can be a milder form of depression with fewer symptoms, but can remain for a long period of time and can certainly lead to experiencing major depression.
But, as with “traditional” depression, this form of unhappiness, which can become chronic, can also be treated and combated, so that you can become a little happier every day and have the opportunity to experience life from a more positive and fulfilling perspective.
What are the signs that you may be chronically unhappy?
The Mayo Clinic has identified some signs that correspond to dysthymia, mentioning that they are not as intense as those of depression.
- You have sadness or depressed mood almost every day.
- You no longer enjoy things you used to like.
- Significant and rapid weight gain or weight loss.
- Sleep-related problems (such as insomnia or excessive sleep).
- Being physically restless in a way that is noticeable to others.
- Fatigue, tiredness, or feeling drained of energy almost every day.
- Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or excessive guilt on a constant basis.
- Problems concentrating and making decisions.
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, planning suicide or attempting suicide.
These symptoms must occur every day or almost every day to be considered a chronic problem, but you have to be aware even if it does not happen to you every day, as they can increase and become constant if you are not careful and do not work on your well-being and mental health.
What can you do to change?
Feeling unhappy and experiencing it chronically is a common occurrence and can be devastating or dangerous, but there are things you can do to avoid getting to that point or to turn the situation around if you are already there.
First of all, it is advisable to have a psychological accompaniment, through therapy, to be sure that your lack of happiness is not related to something bigger, which may require some kind of medication to be controlled.
In addition, science has discovered that things like having good friends (they don’t need to be many, but they should be good and close), an active social life, hobbies, exercising, eating well, sleeping enough hours and doing activities that help you find a purpose in life can increase the level of happiness and help you feel much happier on a consistent basis. The Mayo Clinic explains that you have to develop good habits for happiness, but that, in the case of a chronic situation, these are a complement and not a cure, so therapy is something that should not be ignored.
Remember that if you do not take care of your mental health, everything can get worse, and your problems, feelings of unhappiness or depression will not go away on their own.