Why do White People seem so happy most of the time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The suicide rates of whites are second only to the suicide rates of Native Americans:
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/rates02.html

14% of non-Hispanic white people take antidepressants compares with just 4% of non-Hispanic blacks and 3% of Mexican Americans:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/astounding-increase-in-antidepressant-use-by-americans-201110203624

Black women are significantly less likely to be diagnosed with emotional disorders than their white counterparts, may be due to black women having better support networks than others (black women do have the lowest suicide rate in the US):
http://news.ufl.edu/1998/07/15/ethnic/

Part of this must have to do with access to adequate healthcare. I'm white, upper middle class, well educated and I still had difficulties and faced a stigma when attempting to access mental health services. I can imagine that someone who is a minority, or has fewer financial resources or educational opportunities would have an even harder time.

[Anonymous]

There is a secret white people trust fund that we can all use. The whole working thing is just for show.

But really, you need to get out more. Plenty of people of all races work hard to make ends meet, or aren't able to make ends meet. West Virginia has the highest rate of white poverty and it's an hour+ away.

[Anonymous]

A poor economy has a harsher effect on non-whites (specifically black) than it has on white people. Perhaps that's why you and other black people don't seem as happy to you, OP.

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/07/28/a-recession-for-white-americans-a-depression-for-black-and-latino-americans/

That said, white people are still killing themselves at higher rates and popping pills at higher rates than other races/ethnicities. (Save for Native Americans in the suicide category.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm white. I'm not happy or care free. I wish I was.

+1 Maybe we are just better at faking it than you. Don't assume that we are all cavalierly priveleged and carefree. I WISH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The suicide rates of whites are second only to the suicide rates of Native Americans:
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/rates02.html

14% of non-Hispanic white people take antidepressants compares with just 4% of non-Hispanic blacks and 3% of Mexican Americans:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/astounding-increase-in-antidepressant-use-by-americans-201110203624

Black women are significantly less likely to be diagnosed with emotional disorders than their white counterparts, may be due to black women having better support networks than others (black women do have the lowest suicide rate in the US):
http://news.ufl.edu/1998/07/15/ethnic/

Part of this must have to do with access to adequate healthcare. I'm white, upper middle class, well educated and I still had difficulties and faced a stigma when attempting to access mental health services. I can imagine that someone who is a minority, or has fewer financial resources or educational opportunities would have an even harder time.

The lower rates of antidepressant use may be partly a reflection of the access to healthcare, yes. But the better chomping mechanisms of black women and the dramatically lower suicide rates of black people aren't a negative result of lack of access to healthcare. They're both quite positive things. For black people, at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The suicide rates of whites are second only to the suicide rates of Native Americans:
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/rates02.html

14% of non-Hispanic white people take antidepressants compares with just 4% of non-Hispanic blacks and 3% of Mexican Americans:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/astounding-increase-in-antidepressant-use-by-americans-201110203624

Black women are significantly less likely to be diagnosed with emotional disorders than their white counterparts, may be due to black women having better support networks than others (black women do have the lowest suicide rate in the US):
http://news.ufl.edu/1998/07/15/ethnic/

Part of this must have to do with access to adequate healthcare. I'm white, upper middle class, well educated and I still had difficulties and faced a stigma when attempting to access mental health services. I can imagine that someone who is a minority, or has fewer financial resources or educational opportunities would have an even harder time.

+1

[Anonymous]

Racism, unsurprisingly, can stress a person out.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/07/15/how_racism_hurts____literally/?page=full

[Anonymous]

White people (mostly white women) appear to be the unhappiest group of people to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:White people (mostly white women) appear to be the unhappiest group of people to me.

I don't know if they're the unhappiest, but a 2011 Allure magazine poll found that black women were more self-confident than white women. This was an American poll, by the way.

[Anonymous]

OP, how old is your child? And are you struggling financially? My children are older (school aged) and we, knock on wood, do not have financial worries. Much easier when your kids aren't exhausting you every day and you do not have to worry about making ends meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:White people (mostly white women) appear to be the unhappiest group of people to me.

Perhaps pressure to fit into the White American beauty standard contributes to their seeming unhappiness.

Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are all more common among white women.
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?Volume=160&page=1326&journalID=13

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:White people (mostly white women) appear to be the unhappiest group of people to me.

I don't know if they're the unhappiest, but a 2011 Allure magazine poll found that black women were more self-confident than white women. This was an American poll, by the way.

Just from my own experience, I'd say black women are definitely more confident/comfortable with their bodies compared to white women.

[Anonymous]

It's not nice to walk around looking and acting grouchy all the time. Even though my mind is often consumed with worries about money, time, stress, infertility, etc., I have a smile on my face and I am pleasant to those around me.

[Anonymous]

I find younger white women to be happy (20s and 30s) and 30s- mid aged white men to be. OP, how old are the people you are speaking of?

[Anonymous]

I can't speak for all white people - but I choose to be happy.

Sometimes there is bad shit going on in my life, but....I am very blessed. I have a good husband, a wonderful daughter and at the end of the day - there is food on my table.

I've been to some places where they have to walk a mile to get clean water for their children. I've seen women be beaten for not covering their hair. I've known women who have been raped or whose husbands beat them daily. I just read the "Hug your child" thread.

There is such much bad in the world - my life is pretty damn good so yeah, sometimes I wish I had more money, or a less stressful day. But shit - I'm not fighting dinasours to live.

I'm happy.