Happy strategy

Picture this: you wake up as the sun rises, emerge from your cave or hut, and set off in search of food. Dodging predators, you might gather mushrooms and berries, or you might hunt wild animals with tools made from stone. 

This is what your daily life would be like if you lived in the PalaeolithicAn early part of the Stone Age, when humans used basic stone implements. period - roughly 2.5 million years ago. Early humans lived in small communities and survived on resources from nature. Life was simpler, but it was also riddled with existential threat: we faced off predators such as giant kangaroos, cave bears, wolves, sabre-toothed cats and hyenas.

Around the world, there are a handful of groups that still live (mostly) this way: in remote tribes, deep into the forest, far away from cities, other people and modern life. They include the indigenous people of south America, such as members of the Xokleng, Kaingang and Guarani groups, pictured above.

But for most people, nowadays, life is rather different. We wake at unnatural hours, sit glued to our screens all day, and live in huge, anonymous societies. We eat colourfully packaged foods from the supermarket and live in comfortable homes.

But our brains - broadly speaking - have remained the same. According to evolutionaryRelating to evolution, a process of gradual change that takes place over many generations, during which species of animals, plants, or insects slowly change some of their physical characteristics. psychologists, we still have Stone AgeA prehistoric age in which stones were used as tools. It ended around 4,000BC, when metal began to be used instead. minds. When we experience fears and anxieties, it is an evolutionary response to predatory threats - even though nowadays we are more likely to get anxious in a crowded supermarket or before an important exam.

So for many, the explosive rise in mental health problems is down to our struggle to adapt to the fast-paced nature of modernityThe state of being modern. . The number of children referred to emergency mental healthcare in England has seen a shocking 50% rise in the last three years.¹

In 2022 alone, 1.4 million children were referred to mental health services for treatment of anxiety disorder, depressionLow mood that affects someone's daily life, and can last for weeks or months., eating disorders and other psychological problems. Among slightly older 17 to 19-year-olds, studies found that 25% struggled with a probable mental disorder in 2022.²

Possible reasons for the sharp increase abound. Some blame the pandemic, whilst others point the finger at rising child poverty levels, underfunded mental health services, and a compulsiveSomething you are unable to stop doing. reliance on social media and consuming internet content.

We live a life of abundanceHaving lots of things or a particular thing. . Every day, there is infinitely more to see, more to consume, more to say, more to wear, more people to talk to. But is having more really the recipe for happiness?

Some would say no. The age-old adage is "money cannot buy happiness". But it has been historically hard to prove.³ However, recently researchers seemed to find new evidence, interviewing almost 3,000 people in 19 indigenousEthnic groups who are the original or earliest-known inhabitants of an area or country: for example, Native Americans in the USA. communities across the world and finding that they are just as happy - if not happier than - the average person in rich western countries.⁴

Is it time to cut back? Perhaps we would all be happier if we crawled back into our caves and spent our days spearing fish. The more we develop, it seems, the less content we become.

Some suggest a different approach. They say that happiness is a learned skill, like speaking a language. For them, we should stop blaming external factors for our discontentedness, and become the captains of our own destiny.

Some "happiness strategies" involve refusing to compare ourselves to others, recognising that we have control over our choices, and accepting that suffering is part of life.⁵ Experts also recommend taking a few moments to be grateful for something every day to adopt a positive outlook and value our loved ones.

Can we learn to be happy?

Yes: Mental illness is a daunting prospect, but there are always choices we can make and strategies we can use to be happier.

No: Happiness is affected by a number of external factors, and it is insulting to characterise it merely as a choice. If anything, it is a privilege.

Or... Happiness is not what we should be striving for at all. We are not meant to be happy all the time, and it is an unrealistic expectation to place on ourselves. We should focus on being content.