::: New book examines why Americans are so unhappy and outlines 8 proven strategies to become happy 88% of the time :::
 
Despite achieving 4% GDP growth, America has fallen to 18th in the World Happiness Report?s annual ranking of more than 150 countries?an index based on variables including social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. Various media reports in relation to this year?s study underscore this is the second consecutive year the United States has fallen in the rankings, with America never having even cracked the top 10.
The report suggests three main variables prompting declining happiness in the United States: behind the fall in America?s happiness, citing ?America?s subjective well-being is being systematically undermined by three interrelated epidemic diseases, notably obesity, substance abuse (especially opioid addiction), and depression.? Other related media reports assert the root causes of America?s fall in happiness are due to a social demise amid a ?disintegration of true social connection and support networks.? The World Happiness Report provides insight as to what these social issues are, which includes a lack of social support, increasing loneliness and isolation and the fact that people are spending a disturbing amounts of time on social media and smartphones. The report also points to America?s ominous economic issues such as financial stress and income equality; the rise in materialism that?s...