Today, March 20th, is International Happiness Day! While many people might think of happiness as a fleeting emotion, research has shown that it has long-lasting positive effects on mental health. But it is important to understand the aspect of mental wellness and how people react to different stimuli. Additionally each individual gets their happiness from different things and it is important for a person to learn their pattern of happiness.
According to a study by Ipsos, India currently ranks as the 136th most unhappy country out of 146 countries surveyed in terms of happiness, making it the 11th most unhappy country in the world. The study also found that the percentage of Indians who reported feeling happy has been steadily declining over the years. In 2011, 89% of Indians reported feeling happy, which dropped to 78% in 2017, and further decreased to 66% in 2020. It's estimated that the happiness levels have further dropped to around 40% in 2023. It's clear that there is a pressing need to prioritize mental health and well-being to improve the happiness levels in India.
Studies have found that people who report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction tend to have lower levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Happy people tend to have better coping mechanisms and are more resilient in the face of adversity. But happiness has one more key advantage and that it has the ability to solve almost half of the world’s mental health problems.
If we bottle down the problems of the whole world we can clearly see that 90% of individuals are suffering from stress, sadness and loneliness. We just have to replace these emotions with peace and happiness. So, what can we do to cultivate more happiness in our lives? Some tips include practicing gratitude, connecting with loved ones, engaging in activities that bring us joy, and taking care of our physical health through exercise and a healthy diet.
Although these activities are really helpful in the mental health of an individual, it has become difficult for people to have a real connection in today’s world. The constant comparison of social media has made people more image conscious and socially awkward. These early traits can lead to self isolation and depression in individuals. But a total social media detox is not a solution for the long run. To deal with the modern day problems the solution should also be modernized. In order to achieve that we have created a digital mental wellness platform, Solh Wellness.
What makes Solh Wellness different from the other digital platforms is the approach to mental wellness in a non-linear way. By far digital mental health has been seen in a linear way where the same solutions were provided for everyone, but mental health doesn’t work like that. Every brain reacts differently to a similar approach so it is important that the mental health solutions should be personalized according to individuals’ needs.
This International Happiness Day, let's celebrate the importance of happiness and work towards creating a world where everyone has access to better mental health resources and support they need to cultivate it. At home, at work and everywhere.
