Happiness and Mental Disorders

Abstract

The research object is the approach the meaning of happiness for people with severe mental illness (SMI) under follow-up in a mental health unit in Tenerife. The research aims to improve the care they receive. This qualitative, phenomenological study uses convenience and intentional sampling. Questions were administered to a focus group consisting of 4 women and 1 man, aged 35–69, and 16 individual interviews were conducted with 8 women and 8 men, aged 20–62. The interviews were audio-recorded, with prior consent, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using QSR N-Vivo Release 1.4.1 (851), Spain. Happiness has three dimensions: personal, interpersonal–relational, and temporal. The personal dimension includes personality, positive emotions, health, motivations for establishing personal goals, and engaging in activities. The interpersonal–relational dimension includes family support; social support and relationships; social and occupational functioning; overcoming deaths, breakups, or job losses; and the absence of stigma on mental illness. The temporal dimension establishes that happiness can be comprised of either a set of happy moments or a continuous state of happiness that varies throughout life. Based on the results of this research, it could be proposed that future research should focus on the effectiveness of nursing interventions, addressing the life goals of people with mental disorders, and the pursuit of their happiness.