How money can (really) buy happiness

I was standing in the corner of a hospital corridor that led to the intensive care unit, tense about what might happen to one of my closest friends.

After several hours of being immersed in my own thoughts, I noticed another man, standing very next to me, with his face resembling the gloominess of a rainy day and on the verge of breaking into tears.

It is never easy to initiate a conversation with a stranger, but perhaps because of the similar circumstances we both were in, I gathered some courage to ask him about his story.

What he narrated in a hoarse voice could be the worst possible nightmare for any living being.

His mother had been in the ICU for the past few weeks. He had tried everything possible to save her life. But now he had reached the boiling point, as he had completely run out of money, with nobody left to turn to and collect another few lakhs. The doctors had also given in, saying no further treatment was possible without depositing more money.

This is how, in the absence of adequate money in hand, a son was waiting helplessly to see his mother breathe her last.  

No matter how excruciating this little anecdote seems, many readers can still relate this to their own lives. Because, the rule of this cruel world is quite straightforward: if you have money, you can survive (at least for some time), but if you don't have money, you are bound to suffer.

So, next time when someone comes up with the theory of how trivial money is against the grandeur of this beautiful universe, tell them to their face that irrespective of whatever ideology they subscribe to, money is one of the most important things in the world.

However, one question still remains: Can money really buy happiness?

This might be a very tricky question to answer, as happiness is subjective.

Having said that, let's delve deeper and explore in which ways money can bring us close to the gold mine that happiness is for humankind.

Making one feel secure

One cannot help but admit that any problem money can solve is not really a problem when you have money. And this also helps us make a point of how money can reduce our worries, which are the biggest obstacles to attaining happiness.

In simple words, money brings a sense of security in our lives that even if something bad happens to us, we can weather through the storm with the sheer power of money.

But someone without enough money does not have the luxury of being at peace.

It is a common belief in our country that the rich can not sleep at night, fearing their money can be stolen. But in reality, the opposite occurs more. Due to the lack of money for future expenses, many people keep worrying all the time, which affects their sound sleep.

So, it is not always about spending money that can make one happy. Just the awareness about the ability to do so can also prove to be enough, whether you eventually spend it or not.  

Overcoming depression

Not having enough money also leads to other physical and mental health problems, with depression being the most common of the lot.

According to a 2012 study, about 31% of poor people were said to have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their life, compared to about 15.8% who were not in poverty.

So, there is no denying the fact that money can not only socially and economically, but also mentally, make or break a person.

Besides, mental wellbeing impacts the entirety of a person's social existence. As a result, the necessity of money in helping someone overcome depression and escalate their life's progress to reach the point of satisfaction knows no bounds.

Experiencing life

It is not the hefty bank balance one attains through 9-5 jobs that make them happy. Neither does the highly expensive stuff extracted out of the supermall showcases.

There is a reason behind that, which according to economists, is called the "hedonic treadmill" or "hedonic adaptation".

Surely, one gets a thrill or immense self satisfaction from buying something valuable they always desired. But the thing is, as soon as they get used to it, the excitement fizzles out, and they return to a relatively stable level of happiness.

But that is not the case when one truly experiences life through visiting new places, participating in events like a concert or rally, or doing something new that their heart has always longed for.

Doing these things also requires money. But such expenses are like making an investment, as the happiness derived from these life experiences lives on forever, and teaches one the life lessons of gleaning happiness from even new sources.

Avoiding jealousy

A person's satisfaction with his earning is always relative, and it majorly depends on whether his income is more than the surrounding he belongs to.

American journalist and satirist Henry Louis Mencken once quite aptly said in this regard, "A wealthy man is one who earns $100 a year more than his wife's sister's husband."

Now, this line can be interpreted in multiple ways. But the bottom line is: human beings are born jealous, and when it comes to money, jealousy stinks the most.

You wonder why?

It is because humans always like to compare with each other, believing that they are in a constant cat and mouse race.

But it is impractical to compare one's talent with someone else's, as it is never possible to objectively differentiate the effectiveness between, for example, a cricketer's batting skill and an author's writing prowess.

However, money is indeed the ultimate currency that indicates how much someone is really getting appreciated for his abilities.

The deficit of earning as compared to someone else also leads a person to the lack of self-esteem, which in return can cause a lot of chaos inside his head.

So, as far as human psychology is concerned, the more a man earns, the more happy he is; even if no irritating relative or snoopy neighbour asks him, "How much salary do you get?"

Maintaining a healthy relationship

There is a famous German proverb, also immortalised by British painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts in one of his paintings.

The proverb translates into English as, "When poverty comes in at the door, love flies out of the window."

Once again, a single proverb can mean a world that thousand sentences fail to replicate.

However, the true essence that we can extract from this proverb is: poverty or the lack of money is so powerful that it can even get the better of our personal relationships.

Modern relationship experts also second to this notion, prioritising on the fact that financial stability is very important to keep our interpersonal, conjugal or familial relationships at bay.

When there is nonstop tension regarding money going on inside a person's mind, it is bound to affect their relationships. Also, needy people fail to put much effort into making their relationships work.

To add to that, children growing up in a family not quite financially stable also suffer from numerous psychological complications for not having their needs and expectations met.

Only money has the property to cancel out all these problems, and help one maintain a healthy and sustainable relationship, which is key to happiness.

Having helper's high

Helper's high is the name of a concept given to that feeling of well-being that follows an opportunity to extend an act of kindness.

In today's world, the most effective way of offering kind service to others is probably by donating money to those desperately in need, even if extending a helping hand by being physically present is out of the question.

But how can you get such pleasure when you do not even have the bare minimum to support yourself?

So, first and foremost you have to have ample money in your pocket (or wherever you like to deposit it). Only then, you can join philanthropy by contributing money to charitable causes, which will bring you the highest form of happiness.