Being Disabled Does NOT Mean You Can’t Be Happy

Last Updated on 28/09/2019 by Alex Squire

People are sometimes surprised that I am a cheerful person. They expect me to be constantly miserable just because I am disabled. They believe that if they were in my position they would not be able to cope. I call bullshit – Disabled people can be just happy as able-bodied people. I shall explain.

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I’ve been reading a fascinating book called The Happiness Hypothesis by Psychologist Jonathan Haidt. In the book, Haidt discusses ancient philosophical wisdom and looks at how much of this wisdom is supported by modern science. He tries to get to the bottom of what actually makes us happy.

The Adaptation Principle

In one chapter Haidt talks about something called the “Adaptation Principle”. The Adaptation Principle, in a nutshell, refers to how we adapt to external circumstances which may initially either positively or negatively affect our happiness.

We each have a baseline level of happiness determined by our genes, which accounts for 50% of our happiness according to researchers. Some people are naturally optimists and some people are pessimists.

This Genetic “set point” of happiness is affected by external events which could temporarily increase or decrease our happiness.

However, these external events only account for 10% of our happiness.

No matter what happens to us in the long run, either good or bad, we will adapt to it and our happiness will return to our baseline level. The remaining 40% of our happiness is determined by what we choose to do, such as our hobbies or our social life.

The quadriplegic Vs the lottery winner

I’ll give you an example.

Imagine if you won the lottery. You would probably feel elated initially. Maybe buy yourself a new house or a sports car. You start living it up and start doing all the things you ever dreamt of. The contrast between your old life, where you were struggling to pay the bills, and your new life where your money troubles are over, is stark, and you get a kick out of the difference.

However, within a year, because of the adaptation principle that I mentioned earlier, you will be getting used to your new life. You will start taking things for granted and it becomes the new normal. Life just doesn’t feel that different any more.

The initial spike in happiness caused by winning the lottery will decrease and return to your baseline level that it was at before you won the lottery.

Having more money does not necessarily make you any happier.

According to Haidt the brain is more sensitive to sudden changes in circumstances, such as winning the lottery. So we get a rush of dopamine when something unexpected and pleasurable happens. But after a while, the novelty wears off, and we adapt to it. This is called Hedonic Adaptation.

Now, this is the interesting bit.

Someone who experiences a catastrophically negative life change will experience the SAME EFFECT.

Imagine you had a car crash and suddenly became paralysed. Initially, you will be very upset. Your life is turned upside down. All your aims in life will need to be re-evaluated and you may be asking yourself “Why Me?”

But just like with winning the lottery, you will adapt to your new situation.

Initially your happiness takes a massive hit, but eventually it will rise back up to the baseline level that it was at before your injury. Rehabilitation will help you to learn that life does not end when you become disabled.

You can still live an active and fulfilling life, just differently to before. You make new goals for your new circumstances in life, and it’s rewarding when you make progress towards those goals.

Haidt says that both the lottery winner’s and the quadriplegic’s happiness will return to baseline levels within a year as they adapt to their new circumstances.

I have first-hand experience of the adaptation principle, so what Haidt said resonates with me.

I became disabled when I was six after a car crash. But within a year I was back at the same school, with the same friends, doing the same things as before, albeit in a wheelchair and I needed a carer.

However I did not feel any less happy than I was before the crash. I was not depressed and I did not wallow in misery. I just got on with it and adapted to my new circumstances. It did not change who I was as a person.

This is why it doesn’t make sense when able-bodied people say “Oh if I was disabled I wouldn’t be able to cope”.

Yes, you would!

You would adapt to it just like I have. I’m not saying it will be easy. It’s not. But over time you will learn to come to terms with your new situation and you will realise that disabled people can be just as happy as the able-bodied. Humans are an incredibly adaptive species and just because something traumatic has changed your life it does not necessarily mean that it will be for the worse.

Of course, it’s not just genes that affect our happiness. Our social lives or the activities we engage in are responsible for 40% of our happiness. Disabled people can engage in as many meaningful activities (Such as skiing or sailing) and have just as active (if not more so) social lives as able-bodied people. So there is no reason to believe that disabled people must be more unhappy than able-bodied people. That is just a misconception.

So remember that what happens to you only plays a small part in how happy you are. 40% of your happiness is determined by how you choose to spend your time.

So spend it wisely.