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Article URL: Article appearing on Chicago Tribune, April 6, 2003 Chicago Tribune
You may think that winning the lottery or dating a supermodel will bring you total happiness, but University of Illinois psychologist Ed Diener says such things will make you only a little happier.
Diener has been studying happiness for 20 years and has a good handle on what really keeps people content, says a feature in the April issue of Men's Health. Diener believes that happiness lies in your goals, values, work and family as well as your attitude, thoughts and actions.
If you want to be happier, change your circumstances by taking on new activities, say the experts. Also, go with the flow by frequently participating in something you do well, whether it be bookkeeping, working with your hands or skiing.
Push aside the small stuff and follow up on something huge on your to-do list. Be grateful for all that you do have. And develop good social contacts.
In a study of 222 Illinois college students, Diener and colleague Martin Seligman (author of "Authentic Happiness") found that "every one of the happiest people had good social relationships." At least two of three of the happy students' associations included having a romantic partner, strong family ties and a great group of friends.
Drug backlash
Antidepressants may take the blues away, but if you must stop taking them, watch out for potentially severe withdrawal symptoms, warns a feature in the April issue of Glamour. Of particular concern is Paxil (paroxetine), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
An estimated 25 million prescriptions were written for Paxil just last year. This class of psychiatric medication is highly effective in treating anxiety, social phobia and panic disorder. But when patients stop taking the drug, they may experience weeks of major dizziness, nausea, vomiting and, as one woman complained, "sharp, electrifying jolts causing sizzles of pain behind her . . . eyes."
Before agreeing to take drugs such as Paxil, it is important to understand the side effects that can occur when you start or stop taking it, says Dr. Brian L. Strom, director of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. In addition, don't stop taking a prescribed medication without first consulting your doctor.
Arthritis defense
Some 12 percent of Americans have osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease of the joints, including the hip, knees, fingers and spine. By age 40, nearly 40 percent of people have some evidence of damage, and 60 percent will by age 50, says Dr. Joel A. Block, director of rheumatology and co-director of the Arthritis and Orthopedics Institute at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago.
Block offers his expertise on arthritis in the April issue of More magazine. While it is difficult to stop hereditary forms of the disease, pain can be reduced by losing weight and avoiding high-impact aerobics and anything that requires deep knee bends.
Instead, strengthen the muscles around the joints with low-impact resistance exercises such as repetitive leg exercises, swimming, and weight lifting, he suggests. For more recommendations, visit the Web site of the Arthritis Foundation, www.arthritis.org.
Menopause
If your mom's not around to offer advice on hot flashes as you enter menopause, head for a Web site called Menopause and Women at Midlife--Power Surge, at www.power-surge.net. Here you can find explanations on hot flashes, hormones, phytoestrogens and more.
There's also a long list of resources and a place to ask for reliable medical advice from experts.
--Verna Noel Jones
Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune
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