Happiness or quality of life?

Question

Some who struggle with addiction may be happy in the moment, or happy while under the influence of a substance, however, their quality of life may suffer and they may still prefer death to life.

Which is essential being/feeling happy, or quality of life?

Answer 1

9/7/7

Day of rest.

Listening to the Art of Happiness at work.

The Dali Lama knows Buddhism. He Dali Lama knows the Tibetan people, and the Dali Lama may even know the Dali Lama, but he doesn’t know much about the work place.

The main question: A code to work by.

title: 7 paths of happiness at work:

7: Keep yourself challenged.

Its the way to satisfaction. Don’t narrow your self image.

6: B real.

The unreal people may freak out, but that’s their problem. If your working for someone that is dumb as a rock, use them as a stepping stone.

5. Take breaks - it’s actually more efficient.

4. Love first.

Everything that you do is somehow attached to a small child that will eventually go tottering out into the world and become better than you.

3. Enjoy mastery.

Learn from masters; teach future masters; Master your craft, tools, space and materials.

2. Take the other guy into consideration.

There’s always a team.

1. B efficient.

Additional issue: What constitutes being productive?

entirely dependent on a goal to provide perspective

Answer 2

I say it's the quality of life. In kind of a selfish way, I think quality of life lasts longer in others eye. Your life story will be a positive on in the eyes of your children, grandchildren, and so on. I think if you really put yourself out there and get recognized, the actual quality of your life ans lifestyle will last forever in their minds and they will pass it on. Self happiness, due to something like you suggested, drugs, only lasts in your own mind and will roller coaster. And that will fade out and you happiness, however incredible at the moment, will eventually leave others' minds after you've left.

You could definitely link this to some celebrities. They seem to have fun all the time and while they're doing drugs, drinking under age, and whatever makes them happy at the moment, those things Will be lost to people's memories because when they watch a movie, all they'll remember years after the person is dead is how many times they went to rehab as an adolescent. Now, I'm talking about celebs like Lindsay Lohan and Brittney Spears and whoever else you can think of.

The quality of life will grow roots in other people's minds and your spirit and can be highlighted by times of happiness. That will never be forgotten!

Edit: A few things the other's said I also thought were well stated. True happiness is an important aspect if you value quality of life. True happiness doesn't mean constant happiness, to me. I think of true happiness as an outlook of your own life, that you are happy and content with what you have done and been to yourself. Happy moments do come even if you value quality of life, and, like I said before, they just highlight your point of view.

:)
♥ Peace

Answer 3

You say that some people with addiction may be happy in the moment, or happy when they're high, but that just isn't so...that IS NOT happiness. That's temporary satisfaction.

To answer your question, I'd much rather be happy then have a "quality life".

If I'm happy—truly happy—then my life will be a great quality...and worth every second.

Answer 4

Quality of life.
I think if someone is comfortable with their life they don't have to strive so hard to define their happiness. There has to be something that makes someone do drugs or work towards an addiction within their quality of life. Of course an addiction with diminish the quality of life but if they weren't happy with their life to begin with the only thing the addictio does is mask it.
So if someone is happy or at least comfortable with their life and the things they are lucky enough to have in it (quality of life) then they are happy.

Answer 5

The only true quality of life is being happy. Feeling happy is often a very momentary feeling, so its of course better to find lasting happiness. Lasting happiness doesn't have much to do with material wealth or comforts, but if you "suffer" or "prefer death to life", you sure haven't found real happiness.

Everyone who wants to find real, lasting happiness should consider the profound words by the Indian master Shantideva in 8th century:

"All those who are unhappy in the world
are so as a result of their desire for their own happiness.
All those who are happy in the world
are so as a result of their desire for the happiness of others. "

Answer 6

well if they have an addiction (this is coming from a recovering addict of meth for 11yrs) they are not happy addiction is running period. happiness and quality of life are separate but inseparable. you can be happy with 0 quality of life like a Monk for example, or you could have everything and be miserable because you do not know what makes you happy. money does not buy happiness it simply gives you choices to improve the quality of life for you and those around you (if you give like you should). happiness ultimately is a chemical reaction in the brain. and you have the choice every day to embrace happiness or not. to me happiness and quality of life are the same both are choices we make.

Answer 7

I think you need to make a distinction between true happiness and the illusion of happiness (in the case of the drugs). I think happiness entails more than just feeling good at the moment. I think it must be sustainable and caused by factors in your life and personality other than alteration of the chemical reactions in your brain.

I think quality of life, among other things, leads to true happiness. Or maybe it's the other way around.

Answer 8

edited...

I think that happiness is an important factor in life...
most of us persue happiness sometimes...
some of us spend most of our lives persuing happiness...
but you are right, there must be more to life than happiness alone...
and you can have purpose in life without being happy...
(for instance a struggling single mother bringing up her child might find life incredibly difficult, but will still have a purpose to her life and will love her child dearly)
To experience life to the full, we must overcome difficulties, struggle against any adversity and experience the ups with the downs.
Strength of character, purpose, meaning and love all have a role to play, along with many other emotions, experiences and attitudes.
If we are lucky, and have been nurtured during our childhoods, then we can find these things.
Many people do not experience love or nurture during their childhoods and therefore may not have the emotional strength or focus of purpose to get through difficult periods of life and may end up becoming reliant on drugs or other emotional suppressors. Other people may hit a difficult period period in their lives and not have the support structure that they need, or for many other reasons, may end up taking drugs or drinking alcohol in order to cope with their emotions.
Many people drink and take drugs recreationally, and don't become dependant on them, just to have fun, to be happy for a while and to party etc.

Answer 9

I think happiness is an element of a high quality of life. Drug intoxication is an altered mental state and is not happiness. It is a poor substitute for true happiness.

Answer 10

I believe it depends on the individual. We, on the outside looking in, cannot determine the answer for others' happiness or quality of life.