The Relief of Like Minds

The notion that happiness can be taught sometimes leave people feeling baffled by the language (like the translations in the accompanying photograph) or even outraged. I participated in a fascinating Like Minds event last night. I had the opportunity to present some of the work that I do with positive psychology to an audience of battle-hardened GPs, Community Mental Health workers, psychiatrists and even a Mental Heath Commissioner (I think; he was up until last Friday, but from bits and pieces last night it seems as if he was so successful and innovative there that he has been appointed to a different post).

The GPs were concerned with the medicalisation of unhappiness and patients' requests for anti-depressant medication. There was some discussion of claims that GPs don't know how to make appropriate referrals for depression. The GPs felt that they had limited resources rather than limited knowledge: in terms that were reminiscent of Dr. Crippen they felt that they were being treated like the dinosaurs of medicine and asked to become more and more remote from their patients rather than giving them the one-on-one time that so many of them need.

I had been very apprehensive about the presentation and how to present the research and studies that support the efficacy of positive psychology and happiness. We had the usual difficulty about the nomenclature with some people equating happiness to mindless cheer and the 'happy-clappy brigade' so disdained by the British. However, I needn't have worried. We established that we were talking about happiness as a 3-part work of the engaged life, the meaningful life and the pleasurable life rather than fecklessness or hedonism. The work was well received, there was some robust discussion and it seems as if there will be some follow-up. Despite my initial apprehensions, it was good to be among Like Minds.

Copyright 2006, Tony Plant Happystance Project