People who are depressed would often feel sad, fatigue and lose interest in things that previously gave them pleasure. They have trouble sleeping or they sleep all the time; their appetites are absent or excessive. They are irritable and their memories are short. They often wish that they were dead. They have trouble remembering what it is to be happy. Their days are routine: mundane jobs, few friends, lots of boredom. They feel cut off from the pleasures enjoyed by others.

The good news is that there are effective treatments for the symptoms of depression; the bad news is that medication will not make us happy. Happiness is not simply the absence of despair. It is a positive state in which our lives have both meaning and pleasure.

Medication alone is seldom enough. People also need to look at the way they are living with an eye to change. We are always talking about what we want, what we intend to do. These are dreams and wishes and are of little value in changing our mood. We are not what we think, or what we say, or how we feel. We are what we do.

Most of us are afraid of risk and prefer the bland, the predictable and the repetitive. This explains the overwhelming sense of boredom that embraces us. The frantic attempts to overcome this boredom take the form of a thirst for entertainment and stimulation which is devoid of meaning. It is the answer to the question ‘Why?’ that weighs most heavily upon us. Why are we here? Why do we choose the lives we do? Why bother? The despairing answer is contained in a popular response: ‘Whatever.’

Most people seek happiness by addressing their circumstances - such as trying to make more money, landing a better job, finding a better relationship, going on tour, or buying that expensive item. However, this happiness is short-lived as humans tend to adjust rather quickly to life circumstances. Lottery winners will return to their level of happiness before winning, once they have adjusted to the new level of wealth. Similarly, once we have adjusted to the new circumstances, be it a raise, promotion, new relationship or new cell phone, we will need to seek a new level of happiness.

Happiness, then, is due much less to what is happening around us or getting what we desire but much more to do with what is happening inside us. Happiness does not lie in the pursuit of the things that we believe will make us happy. Instead, it lies in our attitude and belief in what things mean. The psychology of happiness is actually as simple as being content with what we have in life.

Other than self-contentment, the three components of happiness are: having something to do, someone to love and something to look forward to. It is only when we acquired these three essentials that we can keep depression at bay and go on to enjoy a truly satisfying and happy life.