Carbless Happiness

Is dieting something happy people do? I read this study done in 1996, by David Lykken and Auke Tellegen, from the University of Minnesota Psychology department on Happiness. They came to a somewhat perplexing conclusion:

If the transitory variations of well-being are largely due to fortune's favors, whereas the midpoint of these variations is determined by the great genetic lottery that occurs at conception, then we are led to conclude that individual differences in human happiness - how one feels at the moment and also how one feels on average over time - are primarily a matter of chance.

This was another key summary of their study:

Myers and Diener suggested that people who enjoy close personal relationships, who become absorbed in their work, and who set themselves achievable goals and move toward them with determination are happier on the whole than people who do not. We agree, but we question the direction of the causal arrow. We know that when people with bipolar mood disored are depressed, they tend to avoid intimate encounters or new experiences and tend to brood upon depressing thoughts rather than concentrating on their work. Then, when their moods swings toward elation, these same people tend to do the things that happy people do. This is undoubtedly a James-Lange feedback effect: Dysfunctional behavior exacerbates depression, whereas the things happy people do enhance their happiness. We argue, however, that the impetus is greater from mood to behavior than in the reverse direction. It may be that trying to be happier is as futile as trying to be taller and therefore is counterproductive.

A happy mood leads to behaviors that encourage a continued sense of elation? It makes a sick kind of sense. When I'm in a good mood, I start dieting and begin to lose weight, and I will choose healthier foods and activities (like working out, or getting in contact with a friend). Whereas, when I'm in a negative mood, I insist on not dieting and tend to gain weight, and I will choose more unhealthy food and unhealthy activities (like watching t.v. all day). Mood affects and feeds behaviors, which then support the mood.

So, has anything been solved? How does the switch happen? Is it just a cycle, partially based in genetics? I'm happy, making good choices. Then something happens. I become upset, negative, and begin making poor choices. Then something happens. I become happy, and make more good choices. Is there a way to avoid the switch? Is there a way to minimize the depression?

It's interesting, we fat people try to "switch" by overwhelming the negative mood with food, which interestingly enough provides some elation...but then leads to more negative behavior. Hmm! This would "seem" to support our initial hypothesis that carbs lead to a false sense of elation...elation, but an elation that tricks us into a false sense of happiness.

Okay - now that I'm back at the beginning...