Happiness seems to have faded from our vocabulary amid the global pandemic, economic turmoil and, well, collective sense of doom and depression that is 2020. Which is why the opening of a new Happiness Museum in, where else, Denmark feels like the most optimistic story of the year.

The world’s first museum dedicated explicitly to the concept of happiness had a quiet debut on July 14 in a cozy 240-square-meter (2,585 square foot) space in Copenhagen’s pastel-perfect historic center.

The new attraction is the brainchild of the Happiness Research Institute, an independent think tank that explores the science behind why some societies are happier than others with the end goal of encouraging global policymakers to include wellbeing as an integral part of the public policy debate.

Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, says the idea to open a museum came after years of fielding requests from the public about visits to their drab office space.

“I think people imagine that the Institute is like a magical place — a room full of puppies or ice cream — but we are just eight people sitting in front of computers looking at data,” he explains.

“So we thought, why don’t we create a place where people can experience happiness from different perspectives and give them an exhibition where they can become a little bit wiser around some of the questions we try to solve?”

An unusual time to open
The seed was planted and, by early 2020, the museum was nearly ready.Then, of course, the pandemic closed international borders, and Wiking had to decide whether or not to go ahead with the opening.

“We thought, there might not be a lot of guests these days, but the world does need a little bit more happiness,” he recalls.

So, they set in place strict Covid-19 protocols — including a one-way traffic system and a cap of 50 guests — and opened their doors to the public.

Ever since, the museum has given visitors a tour of global happiness, showing how perceptions of it have changed throughout history, what it looks like in different regions, and why some countries report more of it than others.

Along the way, there are also questionnaires and interactive experiences that aim to give guests “aha” moments, as well as enhance the Institute’s ongoing research.

For example, Wiking says trust toward fellow citizens and political institutions is a major factor in global happiness, which is why some visitors may come across a wallet filled with cash. Museum staff have periodically placed this wallet on the floor for more than a month now, and it’s been returned to reception (with all items inside) every time.

People from around the world have also sent in artifacts of happiness — things that represent joy to them — which form a large part of the display. These items are meant to help visitors contextualize what happiness looks like for others in different parts of the globe.

“We might be Danish or Mexican or American or Chinese, but we are first and foremost people,” Wiking says. “It’s the same things that drive happiness no matter where we’re from, and I hope that people will see that in the exhibition.”
One guest told him that he had always known he was a happy guy, but he had never before understood the reasons why.
“That, for us, was the best review we could get,” he says.

What makes nations happy?
One of the other main focal points of the museum is why Nordic countries tend to report some of the highest levels of happiness on earth.

Denmark, for example, frequently lands near the top of surveys ranking the world’s happiest nations, including the United Nations’ annual World Happiness Report. In its 2020 list, Denmark comes in at No. 2 just behind neighboring Finland, while Copenhagen ranks as the fifth happiest city in the world, behind Helsinki, Aarhus (also in Denmark), Wellington and Zurich.

Danish psychologist Marie Helweg-Larsen, a professor at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, says that “it boggles peoples’ minds how you can, just by thinking thoughtfully and strategically about the role of government in life, create happy people.”

Plus, the countries that report the highest levels of happiness tend to contain many elements that, at least on the surface, would seem to hinder it.

“I think foreigners find the Nordic countries to be kind of a conundrum,” Helweg-Larsen explains. “They seem to do things that others have decided couldn’t possibly be associated with happiness, like pay high taxes, live with cold weather and experience long periods of darkness.”
So, what might the rest of the world learn from the Danes in these trying times?

“Trust is a factor in happiness,” Helweg-Larsen says. “We could all do more to talk to people who are not like us and see how we can establish more trust in our own communities.”

She also thinks the Danish concepts of pyt (an “oh well” attitude for accepting a problem and resetting) and hygge (the pursuit of intentional intimacy within interactions and environments) are great for relieving stress.

Wiking says that, if his studies at the Happiness Research Institute have shown him anything, it’s that humans are incredibly resilient.

“When we follow people over time, we can see that they are remarkable at overcoming the challenges that happen to them,” he says. “Of course, it’s necessary to be optimistic in my profession, but I think we can overcome these times as well.”

As the Happiness Museum tries to share with its guests, happiness is a feeling that evolves and takes some nurturing both from society and from within. Work at it enough, and you’ll be better equipped to find the silver linings in these stormy days. (by Mark Johanson, CNN • Published 27th August 2020)

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Portrait of happy woman wearing bathing cap and snorkel, lake in backgroundYou may be happy to hear that the United States is inching its way up on the world happiness scale. But Denmark is still “smiles” above us as the happiest nation.

The UN’s World Happiness Report 2016 Update lists the U.S. as the 13th happiest country. That’s two spots ahead of last year. Holding steady in the top five are:
Denmark
Switzerland
Iceland
Norway
Finland
The researchers found people are happier in places where folks spread good cheer evenly. So despite the cold, Scandinavians have warmed up to sharing their happiness. Their societies boast strong safety nets, which seem to boost happiness.

Happiness measures may mean better public policy
Though the topic may seem lighthearted, it’s no joke. Societies worldwide are paying attention to data on happiness and well-being. It helps them embrace policies that support better lives. And researchers say measuring happiness tells them more about how well a society lives than other factors, such as income and education.

This New York Times article has more on the World Happiness Conference.

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Log in to your secure member Aetna Navigator® website at www.aetna.com. And search for Institutes of Quality. You can also call the phone number on your ID card. Confirm benefits and ask if your plan covers travel and lodging benefits.

img Your mental health matters

Couple sitting on sofa with a laptop discussing a billMay is Mental Health Awareness Month. We’re working to overcome the stigma around mental health challenges. We do this by providing support and education.

Join the conversation on social media
Throughout the month, you’ll find information and resources on our social media channels. Look for us on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and LinkedIn. You can share how you stay emotionally healthy on social media with the hashtag #mentalhealthmatters. And be sure to join use for a live Twitter chat on May 26 from 2 – 3 p.m. ET by using #mhmchat. Together, we can raise awareness and reduce stigma.

Helpful resources on our website
You’ll find:
Depression and anxiety self-assessments
Quick tips to improve your mood
Information about mental health conditions
?It only takes a minute’ videos showing how others stay healthy
Just visit us at www.aetnabehavioralhealth.com.

There’s no health without mental health. Come celebrate with us this month!

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Couple holding hands Opioids include pain killers prescribed by your doctor and illegal drugs such as heroin. Opioid overdose can occur when someone misuses these drugs. It should not occur when taken as directed by your doctor.

Did you know?
Since 1999, the number of prescription painkillers prescribed and sold in the U.S. has nearly quadrupled.1
Opioid overdoses tripled between 2001 and 2013.2,3
About 15 million people suffer from opioid dependence. But, only 10 percent who need treatment are getting it.4
Naloxone (brand name Narcan®) is an inexpensive medicine and may help. If administered early, it may reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. And, it can prevent deaths due to an overdose.

You can reduce the risk
Get help to quit and stay clean.
Find out how to obtain naloxone for those likely to go through an opioid overdose.
Receive support, resources and training.
Learn when and how to use naloxone as a life-saving medicine.
Help is available
Our clinicians work with providers to screen those at risk. They promote education and treatment for you, your loved ones, caregivers and health care providers. Contact your healthcare provider if you have questions. And you can call the member services number on your ID card to check your benefits for naloxone.

Resources
Opioid overdose prevention toolkit
Opioid overdose information
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/
2Beletsky LB, Rich JD,Walley AY. Prevention of fatal opioid overdose. JAMA. 2012;308(18):1863-1864.
3National Institute on Drug Abuse, Overdose Death Rates, Revised February 2015, https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
4World Health Organization (November 2014), http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/information-sheet/en/

img Get help for depression and substance abuse

Make the most of your health care budgetWoman laying on sofa looking off into distance
It’s hard to know where to turn when you or a loved one is struggling. If you have depression, it can interfere with daily life and cause pain for both you and those who care about you. Many people with depression can also have an alcohol or drug problem.

Help is available
If you ignore these conditions, they can get worse. An assessment may help you and your doctor decide if you need treatment. Both depression and substance abuse are treatable conditions. If you think you need help, just talk to your doctor. Or find one in your area.

Simply log in to your secure member Aetna Navigator® website at www.aetna.com. It’s an important first step on the road to feeling better.

Check out these resources
You can:
Find tips to boost your mood and assess your well-being
Look up facts about common drugs of abuse
Call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit the lifeline online
Let us help you take care of your mind, body and spirt.

Find more information at https://www.aetna.com/individuals-families/mental-emotional-health.html.

https://www.isp.com/blog/lgbtq-youth-online-resources/

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