文／黃漢華
by Han-Hua Huang
by Han-Hua Huang
多數人壓力常來自於「後悔過去、擔心未來、不看現在」，常自找煩惱，自然開心不起來，醫師提出建議，利用簡易的記錄方法，讓小快樂變大幸福。
Many people feel
stressed because they often “regret about the past”, “worry about the future”
and “neglect the present.” They find
themselves worried and far from being happy.
A doctor recommends keeping a journal as a simple way to turn little joys
to great happiness.
你快樂嗎？當壓力大到心情鬱卒，你如何尋找快樂，宣洩不愉快的情緒？大吃一頓？大肆血拼？還是旅遊？
Are you happy? When
you are stressed to the point that you feel depressed, how would you cheer
yourself up ? Have a big meal, go shopping, or do some travel ?
「快樂其實就在日常生活裡！」耕心療癒診所院長林耕新如此表示。
“Happiness is right in
your daily life!” says President of Dr. Lin’s Healing Clinic, Kent Lin.
治療心身症有27年經驗的林耕新發現，許多人刻意去做某件事，期待藉由外力解除壓力，但吃喝、購物、旅遊，雖然能換來一時的幸福感，卻未必能真正紓解壓力。
Dr. Lin, who has
treated mental disorders for 27 years, found that many people rely on external interventions
to relieve their stress, such as eating, shopping and travel. While these
activities can help you relax for a moment, they do not really make your stress
go away.
他認為，壓力是生活中的一環，無法消除，尤其在高度競爭的社會，壓力隨伺與共，因此，學習面對壓力、與壓力共存，比紓解壓力更重要。而看待壓力的態度，可以決定一整天的情緒。
Dr. Lin believes that stress is part of our lives and is inevitable. In a highly competitive environment where stress can arise at any time, it is more important to learn how to live with stress than to try to make it disappear. Your perspective of stress can determine your emotions for the day.
記錄快樂 比吃藥有效
Journaling is More Effective than Medication
從病人身上，他發現壓力來自於「後悔過去、擔心未來、不看現在」，因為丟不掉心裡的包袱，等於蓋了一座「心靈的牢籠」，難以放掉自己，內心缺少自由。
From treating his
patients, Dr. Lin learned that stress comes from “regretting about the past”, “worrying
about the future” and “neglecting the present”. Unable to let go of the psychological burden,
people put themselves in a “mental prison” where they have trouble letting go to
free themselves.
林耕新將心靈比喻成冰箱，長期累積的壓力就像一盤盤放在冰箱許久、早已腐敗的菜餚，每當想起壓力來源，有如端出這些爛掉的菜餚，重新一一檢視，其中的顏色、氣味、型態，自然令人不悅。
Dr. Lin used the
analogy of a refrigerator to describe our soul. Long-term accumulated stress is like rotten dishes
of food that have been kept in the refrigerator for a long time. Every time you
think of the sources of the stress, it is like taking out the rotten dishes from
the refrigerator and going over them one by one. Of course, the colors, smells
and looks of these dishes are not pleasant.
由於丟不掉壓力的根源，腐敗的菜端進又端出，於是，冰箱空間塞滿了垃圾，堆積許多，空氣不能對流，即使放進珍貴的龍蝦、鮑魚，不久也會受影響，跟著腐敗。由此可見，丟掉心中腐敗的菜，才能找到快樂。
If you don’t get rid
of the sources of stress, it would be like that the rotten dishes of food are
taken out of the refrigerator and put back in there over and over again. Over time,
the refrigerator will be full of garbage with very limited space, and the poor air
ventilation in the refrigerator will affect any food that comes in even if it
is expensive lobster or abalone. Therefore, the key to finding happiness is to
get rid of the rotten food in your mind.
林耕新從問診中發現，病人敘述心情狀態，常常是「差不多」「不好」「還好」等籠統字眼。他心想，假使每天記錄心情，就能知道其中變化，也可分辨負面情緒，學習正向思考。
於是，他想出一個方法：每天早上、下午、晚上三個時段，各找一件讓自己快樂的事，如此重覆，多多練習，可以讓大腦拋下糾纏已久的負面情緒。他這樣教導病人，果然療效比藥物要好。
Dr. Lin also found from
the interviews with his patients that they often describe their feelings with indecisive
words, such as “no difference”, “not good” or “it’s OK.” Dr. Lin figured that
if people could keep a record of their emotions, they would become aware of the
changes in their feelings as well as negative emotions, and learn to think
positively. Therefore, Dr. Lin came up with one method: every morning,
afternoon and evening, identify one thing that makes you happy. He believes
that with practice, it will help people let go of their negative emotions that have
been deep rooted in their minds. He
asked his patients to use this method and it turned out to be more effective
than medications.
2000年，他擔任高雄市凱旋醫院社區精神科主任，到長青中心找了14名有憂鬱傾向、服藥、失眠的長者，要他們寫「快樂日記」，每天記錄三件快樂的事，再以一到十分，計量：稍微快樂、普通快樂、非常快樂，當成快樂分數。
In 2000, when Dr.
Lin was the head of the Community Psychiatrics Department of the Kaohsiung
Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, he solicited 14 people from the
senior center who were on medication for depression and insomnia. He asked them to keep a “Journal of Happiness”
where they were to write down 3 things that cheered them up every day and rate
those events on a scale of 1 to 10 to indicate whether the events made them
feel “slightly happy”, “moderately happy”, or “very happy”.
他把長者分成三組，彼此監督。一開始，大家不是找不到、寫不出來，就是寫下許多不愉快的壓力事件，後來，漸漸有人找到快樂的事，寫了下來。接著，三個組都開始記錄，就這樣，算出一天、一週、一個月的平均快樂分數。
Dr. Lin put these
seniors in three groups and had them support each other. At the beginning,
these people had trouble identifying joyful events or wrote down things that
made them feel stressful. It took a while
for someone to finally find something to write about. Later on, all people in the
three groups started writing and they calculated the average happiness points they
had for each day, week and month.
受困心靈牢籠 也能找到出口
Out of the Mental
Prison
「快樂分數要自我比較，」林耕新舉例說，若是上週平均快樂分數為5.6分，本週只有4.5分，不妨想想是那些事把分數拉低，同樣地，如果分數提升，也可以尋找那些是快樂的事，多多去做，負面情緒就能轉變。
“You are supposed to
compare your own happiness points, “ says Dr. Lin. If your average points for
last week were 5.6 and this week 4.5, you might want to think about the reasons
your points were lower. By the same token, if your points become higher, you
can identify the things that bring you joy. The more you do those things, the
more likely you will transform your negative emotions.
「你昨天幾分？」「我希望得到九分，」實驗的八週期間，長者互相詢問對方的快樂分數。有年長者發現，見到孫子的那一天，快樂分數就會增加，因此，她規定自己每週要帶孫子到公園三天，數月之後，祖孫相處的快樂時間，也幫助她停掉長期服用的藥。
“How many points did
you get yesterday?” “I hope to get 9
points.” During the eight weeks when this experiment took place, participants
asked the happiness points of each other. One person found that her happiness
points would be higher on those days when she saw her grandson. As a result,
she made it a habit to bring her grandson to the park three days a week. After
a few months, the happy moments she had with her grandson helped her stop the medication
she had been on for a long time.
「我現在發現快樂的事多到寫不完！」一位菜販這樣告訴林耕新。原本她總抱怨丈夫、媳婦，也找不到快樂的事。經過兩年練習，如今，她看到路上綻放的野花，都覺得高興，家人關係也改善不少。
“I now have too many
joyful things to write about !” one produce retailer told Dr. Lin. She used to
complain about her husband and her daughter-in-law and couldn’t find any joy in
her life. After two years of journaling, she now feels happy even when she sees
the wild flowers on the street and her family relationship has also greatly
improved.
林耕新的快樂日記簡單易學，又不必花錢，得到高雄市衛生局認同，2013年，高雄市政府發起「提升國家快樂力，從自己做起」，教導民眾嘗試每一天尋找快樂，值得你也來試一試。
Dr. Lin’s happiness
journal is simple, easy and doesn’t cost money. It won the support of the
Health Department of the Kaohsiung City Government in Taiwan. In 2013, the Kaohsiung
City Government initiated the campaign “Raise the Nation’s Happiness Starting with
Yourself”, encouraging residents to find their joy every day. It is worth trying for all of us.
【快樂日記這樣寫！】1.每天找三件快樂的事 2.計算每天、每週、每月的平均快樂分數
How to Keep a Happiness
Journal :
1.
Find 3 things that
make you happy every day; and
2.
Calculate your
average happiness points each day, week and month
【本文摘自《健康遠見》找到你的快樂日記】
【This article was
published on Global Views on Health】
關於 林耕新醫師
畢業於台北醫學院之後，林醫師致力於身心疾病的療癒和心理健康的倡導。他並且是台灣人文關懷領域的先驅，推動臨終關懷、瀕死體驗的認識和催眠治療。除了擔任很多政府和私人團體的諮商醫師和理事等職，林醫師創立了「忘憂草憂鬱防治協會」，並開設「耕心療癒診所」為有心理困擾的朋友們服務。
About Dr. Kent Lin
A reputed psychiatrist
in Taiwan, Dr. Kent Lin earned his medical degree from the Taipei Medical
University in Taiwan and has been dedicated to treating mental disorders and
promoting mental health for three decades. He is also an advocate in different
areas of humanity care in Taiwan, including hospice care, the recognition of near-death experience
and hypnosis treatment. Among his many endeavors, Dr. Lin has been a counselor and
psychiatrist for schools and the police force and is the founder and Chairman
of the Daylily Depression Prevention Association. He has
his own practice as the President of the Dr. Lin’s Healing Clinic in Kaohsiung,
Taiwan.
* Translated by Judy H *
* Translated by Judy H *
歡迎用臉書 追蹤新內容
Follow us on Facebook
⏬ 分享出去吧! 也許有人正需要它 Share to benefit someone ⏬
