Happy Family Life, Not Money, Key to Good Life

A new study found that a happy family life is the top factor that constitutes a good life instead of wealth, power or celebrity status.

A new study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that a happy family life is the top factor that constitutes a good life instead of wealth, power or celebrity status.

As part of the study men and women were asked to imagine themselves as being 85 and near the end, and to rank the 30 things they regarded as important for a good, worthwhile life.

Depression - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting approximately 340 million people in the world. No one is immune from depression - it occurs in people of all social classes, all countries and all cultural settings.

All groups rated close and enduring relationships, such as having close friends, having a good marriage or romantic partnership and having a happy family as primary importance to life satisfaction.

"Real, close relationships are often far from fun: whether it's being married, or raising children, or getting along with close friends and co-workers, all have their own challenges. Over the long run, they include many, many moments that aren't 'fun', but still most of us believe that those relationships are what make life worth living. That should tell us something about human nature," the paper quoted Dr Gregory Bonn, a lecturer in psychology at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, who led the study as saying.

The participants also rated having a worthwhile career as more important to a good life than having a successful one.

Adolescent Depression - Causes - Affects - Depressed Teens - Treatment - FAQs
Adolescent depression is an ailment that occurs during the teenage characterized by persistent melancholy, disappointment and loss of self-esteem.

Hobbies or leisure activities that were personally fulfilling were rated as slightly more important than rearing children who were successful.

Gaining wisdom and living a moral life also made it to the top 10 requirements for a worthwhile life, and were rated as being more important than being respected.