More Bad News For The Depressed

Do happy people really live longer? I used to think the answer was yes, but now Science is telling me that it’s not the case:

Researchers found that children who are rated “highly cheerful” at school went onto die younger than their more reserved class mates. This is because they are likely to lead more carefree lives full of danger and unhealthy lifestyle choices, it is believed. They may also be more likely to suffer from mental problems such as bipolar depression which sees moods swing from extreme happiness to debilitating sadness. Being too cheerful — especially at inappropriate times — can also rouse anger in others, increasing the risk of a person coming to harm.

Well, that’s just fuckin’ great. So now my depression, which may or may not make me more creative and definitely keeps me from forgetting the things I’d prefer not to remember, is going to make me suffer even longer? You just cannot win. God, maybe I should just try to be happy. I mean, if it takes a couple of years off my life it just might be worth it. [Via]