Even when it seems like winter will never end, there are things Canadians and everyone can do to increase their happiness, says psychiatrists.
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People can improve their happiness: psychiatrist

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The United Nations declared March 20th the International Day of Happiness, and people can use several techniques to increase their own happiness, says Toronto psychiatrist Mark Berber.

“Happiness is not just a trivial buzzword. There is a science behind it. It’s basically the science of positive thinking and there are a few things you can do in your life to make yourselves happy,” says Berber.

What troubles Canadians

What most makes Canadians unhappy is trouble with relationships, jobs and/or money, according to Berber. The first, most important thing he does for patients is to listen to them unburden themselves. He might discuss communication, bring in a patient’s partner for couple therapy, suggest credit counselling or other practical solutions to problems.

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sychiatrist Mark Berber helps patients focus on the positive side of life to improve their happiness. “It takes time,” he says.

Positive thinking important

He also focusses on helping patients see the glass half full, rather than half empty. “There is a theory, and I think most of us agree with the theory, that the way we look at things or think about things determines how we feel inside,” says Berber. “If we always go through the day looking at things from a negative perspective—in other words, the glass half empty–one may leave oneself feeling depressed and hopeless.”

Counsellors try to maximize a patient’s positive values and put the negative things into perspective. It takes time to change the way of thinking, but Berber says it can dramatically improve mood. “We help the patient to explore the automatic negative, unreasonable thinking that they are imposing upon themselves…Many times the patient doesn’t realize how negative the self-talk is. Once they recognize that we try and change the self-talk in a way that’s fairer to the patient, more reasonable, more sensible and more balanced…It’s called cognitive therapy and it’s been proven to work over time.”

Steps to happiness

Berber suggests important steps anyone can take to increase their happiness:

Recognize and nuture the important people in your lives such as spouse, parents, children, colleagues at work. “Recognize the importance of those relationships and value them and nurture them,” says Berber. “That’s been proven over and over again to be the most important factor to being happy.”

Be kind to people. Recognize good things and say ‘thank you.’

Let go of things that have bothered you in the past. “That doesn’t mean you have to forgive people who have done you wrong or hurt you,” says Berber, “but try and move forward in your life so that those things don’t define who you are.”

Don’t smoke too much tobacco or marijuana and don’t drink too much.

Exercise is very important, says Berber “You don’t have to be at the gym two hours a day, but getting a little bit of sunshine and walking daily is important.”

Try to find something in your life that gives you meaning and engagement with life.

“If you do those things,” says Berber, “you are well on your way to being a happier person.”

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