Happiness and Sadness Spread Just Like Disease

Happiness and Sadness Spread Just Like Disease

www.wired.com

There may be a literal truth underlying the common-sense intuition that happiness and sadness are contagious.

A new study on the spread of emotions through social networks shows that these feelings circulate in patterns analogous to what’s seen from epidemiological models of disease.

Earlier studies raised the possibility, but had not mapped social networks against actual disease models.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Interesting...

I think that many of us, by way of common sense alone, would agree with this.

But is it now being backed by science as well?

I say we run our own social expirements and test the theory directly! I am betting these results can be repeated. Be joyous in all that you do, and all those whom you interact with (to the best of your ability) and see how it effects your reality.

www.wired.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

This thread makes me happy

I think that there is an overall underlying connectedness between everything living. That's a kind of new agey thing to say but it is what it is.

This is great news. A nice change from all the doom and gloom.

I agree that an experiment should be done. ha. Maybe this is the way to change the world!

Thought is energy, and so are emotions.

And as Isaac Newton said centuries ago, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction". And a similarly relevant principal of physics, as an extension of that last point, states that energy is never lost, it is only ever dissipated into the environment. So when applied to human emotions, its certainly true that we feel the energy all around us no matter how conscious we are of those feelings. The only problem i have with the article however is that it is doesn't take into account the resilience many people develop as a kind of psychological "immune system" to help fight off the contagious negative energy they absorb from others around them. Admittedly though they said that the research was still in its very early stages, and next time they're going to explore such dynamics more deeply. Certainly an exciting development.

I always used to think my mum was crazy when she talked about "bad vibes" from people.. these days it me telling her she's the one with "bad vibes". haha.

Medical/psychological science has been laughably slow at picking up on these things. thanks for the article.

Really? Then someone please infect me because I've been depressed...

reply to post by CanadianDream420


Sending out peaceful, happy energy to you my friend.

DizzyDayDream-Sounds like you and I's mums are like-minded. heh-heh

I have ran these types of expirements within my immediate group, particularly with meditation-related states of peace and calm, and many close to me state that they feel calmer and happier in my presence. =)

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


It's funny (and sad) how we look to others to endorse, solidify or justify something which may be why we're stuck in the 3D reality of ours.

Science requires tangible evidence.
Spirituality just knows!

reply to post by Mike6158


That's not new age at all. That's actually a pretty old school way of thinking.

Originally posted by DimensionalDetective
reply to post by CanadianDream420

 

Sending out peaceful, happy energy to you my friend.

Thanks boss!

Only thing more contagious than a yawn is a smile =)

In the spread of happiness, the researchers found clusters of “infected” and “uninfected” people, a pattern considered a “hallmark of the infectious process,” said Hill. “For happiness, clustering is what you expect from contagion rates. Whereas for sadness, the clusters were much larger than we’d expect. Something else is going on.”

Happiness proved less social than sadness. Each happy friend increased an individual’s chances of personal happiness by 11 percent, while just one sad friend was needed to double an individual’s chance of becoming unhappy

www.wired.com...


So does this mean that we are predisposed to have a depressed state of mind as opposed to a happy one ? Maybe depression is simply a normal state of being for some people rather than the chemical imbalance that the medical profession classifies it as, maybe that's why anti depressents have a harmful effect on some.

I could sure use a cup of happiness in my life lately.

Originally posted by chise61


So does this mean that we are predisposed to have a depressed state of mind as opposed to a happy one ? Maybe depression is simply a normal state of being for some people rather than the chemical imbalance that the medical profession classifies it as, maybe that's why anti depressents have a harmful effect on some.

I could sure use a cup of happiness in my life lately.

Probably because life is very hard. Having an eternal soul (and not realizing it) while living in a mortal society (which is constantly in our face) is very difficult.

Because, if you notice the great majority of people who aren't necessarily part of the daily grind (infants, children, autistic and Down Syndrome individuals, Alzheimer and schizophrenic patients etc) are usually the ones smiling!

Wanna be happy? Don't let this life get to you. Try to live in the moment. Because reflecting back and worrying about the future is a buzz-killer!


[edit on 15-7-2010 by One Moment]

Thats why most of us come here rather than facebook anyday.

I would assume there is a vibe to all sites.

ATS > Facebook anyday.

Could be that Emotions are based on the conscious collective. Or The worlds spirit. Hence why inventions travel so quick through thought. Be careful what you think or feel, your neighbor may be suddenly feeling the same way!

I need to learn how to be happy.. sometimes I feel like a dark cloud and I don't even wanna be around people cause I feel I would probably 'infect them'. I guess I was right when I thought that.

What can you do if you have a real hard time being cheery? Any tips?
I'm doing what I can but my cynicism is so etched into me having been depressed for so many years.

Edit:

reply to post by CanadianDream420



Hehe, that actually made me smile!

[edit on 15-7-2010 by TheLaughingGod]

reply to post by TheLaughingGod


The most powerful tips I can give you ( I suffered from depression in my youth ) are to take up meditation, get out into nature, and to be fully centered into each present moment ( as One Moment alluded to ). Another seemingly inane (on the surface) practice is to just SMILE. Even though you may not feel joy or any reason to, just pretend you have a reason to smile, and hold this for a while. It actually DOES work for many people, myself included.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


The nature thing works for me. Up until this year I was constantly up at the lake, it has a very calming effect on me and always put me in a better mood. Guess that's why I haven't been too happy lately, our Mayor has decided to start charging people $1 an hr to park at the lake, so now I can't go anymore

reply to post by TheLaughingGod


I'm sorry to hear you're feeling that way. Please know, things will get better. I PROMISE you that!

Here, see if this helps (it does me all the *&(# time!)

reply to post by One Moment





Oh Thank you soooooo much for posting that ! I laughed soooo hard I couldn't breathe, her feet were wobbling around like jello


I felt some of the stress leave my body, my chest has loosened up, you have done a good deed today.


Thanks

Originally posted by DimensionalDetective
reply to post by TheLaughingGod

 

The most powerful tips I can give you ( I suffered from depression in my youth ) are to take up meditation, get out into nature, and to be fully centered into each present moment ( as One Moment alluded to ). Another seemingly inane (on the surface) practice is to just SMILE. Even though you may not feel joy or any reason to, just pretend you have a reason to smile, and hold this for a while. It actually DOES work for many people, myself included.

So I will assume you ate the red pill then in your avatar