London, October 03: Women are happier and more social than men, while young people are more likely to be distressed, a new survey shows.
The Mental Health Association NSW (MHA) online survey of 309 people also found that happiness is linked to spending time with friends or being a member of a club.
Those who were unsure if they enjoyed socialising – “fence sitters” – were more prone to mental ill-health, the results revealed.
Women reported feeling happier than men and had more active social lives.
The survey, which asks people if they attend religious services or use social networking sites such as Facebook, is part of research into community participation, psychological distress, and mental wellbeing trends in NSW.
Respondents said they felt happier seeing extended family only occasionally rather than all the time or not at all.
Those who were experiencing a disadvantage from factors such as a financial crisis reported being distressed, as did 18 to 25-year-olds, who were more unhappy than older age groups.
“The report reveals that there is a strong link between participating and feeling happy when socialising with friends or being a member of a club,” MHA spokeswoman Nataly Bovopoulos said.
“It was also interesting to note that the majority (72 per cent) of the respondents were female, which indicates immediately that women are more likely to get involved than men.”
Ms Bovopoulos also said it was possible for people to feel unhappy without being depressed or anxious, however, most people who were distressed reported feeling unhappy.
The release of the research findings comes days ahead of Mental Health Week, which begins on October 4.
This year’s theme is “Sign up, Link in, Get involved”, and aims to promote the positive connection between mental wellbeing and participating in local communities, clubs and organisations.
—Agencies