Happiness is an essential element to humans, and whether or not it can be created with materialistic items and vacations to the Bahamas is a popular topic within our society.

According to an article from the Wall Street Journal, research shows that at a first glance, people who have a higher income and spend more money are happier than those who struggle.

Overall, this remains to be true, the research done in the WSJ (Wall Street Journal) says people in richer countries are happier than those in poorer countries, and people who are wealthy experience unhappy thoughts less often than those that aren’t.

Happiness is an emotion that is so sought after in high school. I would say most high schoolers face depression, anxiety and or stress at least a few times in high school, if not too many times.

Stress and anxiety often times go together, created by sports, relationships, school, work and one’s future. Depression is the extreme absence of happiness in one’s life. It often stems froma feeling of loneliness or loss of something or someone. Whereas happiness, usually stems from the gaining of something or someone, or an accomplishment.

All of the ingredients I just mentioned for depression and happiness are based off of the loss or gain of something.

Most high schoolers are pretty dependent on their parents for money and don’t normally have to worry about their financial status. So why do so many high schoolers suffer from depression?

The loss of something or someone may cause it, and money cannot help the loss of a special someone or something. In the case of somebody who gained something or someone, they may be happy, but not because of any money or purchase.

In my opinion, in high school, money has a very little effect on one’s happiness. However later in life, when one is making their own living and working a full time job, money does can have a positive or negative effect on someone’s emotions. In the end, I don’t believe one should put their happiness into the hands of something that can be taken away from them.