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Utah is #1 LOL
It is also one of the states with the highest rates of anti-depressant usage and prescription drug abuse.
I also wouldn't call it the most tolerant state either...
I'm surprised at Maryland too. Everytime I've been there, people seemed miserable! Now I'm not dissing MD because this is how people are in my home state as well, but among the happiest? I don't think I'd agree.
It goes by "overall evaluation of their lives, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors (such as whether a person smokes or exercises), and job satisfaction."
Utah should be high on that as its unemployment is relatively low and Mormons aren't supposed to smoke. Not that all Mormons obey that, or that Utah is all Mormon, but I think observant Mormons are a significant portion of Utah. Also I think they might get "active lifestyle" types who prefer skiing and hiking to smoking.
Maryland is maybe a puzzler on this as I don't think its economy is that great. Its rate of "everyday smokers" is said to be below average, but not radically so. Its rate of "overweight plus obese" is also "below average but not radically so."
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hdwell
Agreed. I would think the suicide rate would be a more accurate reflection of who is happy and who isn't. Way to go Steve!
I think it should be a main factor, but I don't know if it should be the whole thing. There is a high level of "happiness inequality" in some places. So let's say 90% of people are happy and 10% are very unhappy. That place might be more suicidal than a place that's only 50% happy, but I don't know if it's fair to say that makes it unhappier.
Also religion and marital status play a role. Many religions emphasize a strong hostility to suicide and religious taboos really can effect behavior. In a state like Washington irreligion and non-traditional religion is much more common than most places. Also if you're married, even not entirely happily married, there is someone with you much of the day to assure that a suicidal desire does not become a suicidal action. This can also be true if you have kids and some parents feel an extra-motivation not to suicide. A single person has a "rough patch" and considers suicide there may not be anyone there to stop it from becoming an action. (I personally think the image of single people as unhappy is false, but I think it is true there's a bit more instability in being single. A greater chance of "flying and falling" so to speak. I am single and I'm happy, but the risk of instability I'd say exists even in my life) Washington I believe has a good deal of never-married or childless people.
I'm sure those states have many happy people due to the recreational as well as the employment opportunties and the generally higher incomes. However, most of that kind of happiness IMO is surficial; I'm not so sure I would readily count an environment as producing happiness. It certainly helps but that really isn't all of the picture. So this conclusion from this research is not the total picture.
Doesnt Washington state have the highest suicide rate in the nation (or so Ive heard)? Sounds real happy to me!
It most certainly doesn't. It's not even in the top 20. Kurt Cobain offed himself 15 years ago, that must be why you think that, right? Moderator cut: No need to get personal
It most certainly doesn't. It's not even in the top 20. Kurt Cobain offed himself 15 years ago, that must be why you think that, right? Moderator cut: orphaned comment
He might have thought of Washington because Tacoma has been said to have a high suicide rate. Look up "stressful cities", but not Forbes list, and you might see what I mean.
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Interestingly the list of suicide rates you link to places Wyoming as the highest and Wyoming is also higher on the top ten "happiest" list than Washington. (Although it's not really about happiness but overall well-being)
Last edited by houstoner; 11-11-2009 at 05:19 AM..
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