Pelletiere Healing Center - Core Story

1. What Happy People Know
The Secrets to Becoming Happier and Living A Happy Life.

2. It seems silly to ask...
And it’s an important beginning to our story.
Ready?
What is happiness?
happy | hapē| adjectiveˈ
1 feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
happiness | hapēˈ n sə | noun
pleasure, contentment, satisfaction, cheerfulness, merriment, gaiety, joy, joyfulness,
joviality, jollity, glee, delight, good spirits, lightheartedness, well-being, enjoyment;
exuberance, exhilaration, elation, ecstasy, jubilation, rapture, bliss, blissfulness,
euphoria, transports of delight.

3. What is your level of Happiness?
1. Life is good. You're happy AND you are always curious
to see if there is a way you can get more out of life.
2. Life is okay. You're happy...sometimes. Things could be
better.
3. You’re NOT HAPPY and would like to be.

4. If you are in the first group:
“Life is good. You're happy AND...”
1.
Then you will definitely want to read the “Secrets to
Happiness”. You’re the kind of person who is likely
looking for even MORE ways to be happy. So read on.
And you may know someone in group 2 or 3 that you
can help. Happy people tend to like to help others.

5. 2.
If you are in the second group:
“Life is okay. You're happy...sometimes...”
Read on. You will discover things that you say to yourself to
make it ok to not be happy more often. This behavior can
lead to less happiness and eventually depression.

6. 3.
If you are in the third group:
“You're not HAPPY...”
You may be depressed. Find out the truth about depression
and the secrets to becoming more and more happy.

7. You’re Depressed.
The 15 Warning Signs
that you are not only NOT HAPPY...

8. 1. General Loss of Interest
You feel emotional flatness or emptiness.
You can't seem to find pleasure in
anything.
"Standard of living has
increased dramatically and
happiness has increased not
at all, and in some cases has
diminished slightly,"
- Professor Daniel Kahneman,

9. 2. Chronic Fatigue and Lack of Energy
You tire easily and have little desire to get things done.
In a medical study researchers found people who are depressed
are more than four times as likely to develop unexplained fatigue,
and those who suffer from fatigue are nearly three times as likely to
become depressed. -Web MD

10. 3. Sleep Too Much or Insomnia
Your sleeping patterns have changed.
You use sleep to avoid/escape feelings or tasks.
Insomnia, early morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping.

11. 4. Poor Memory
You can't seem to remember where you put things or what you
were wanting to do.

12. 5. Indecision
You may be confused and find to concentrate, even the smallest
decisions can be overwhelming.

13. 6. Appetite problems
You may be losing or gaining weight.

14. 7. Digestive problems
You may suffer indigestion, stomach pain, nausea,
or changes in bowel habits.

15. 8. Irritability
Trivial things that you use to take in stride now make
you feel annoyed, impatient, restless or jumpy.

16. 9. Neglect of Self
You don't care about your responsibilities or you let your
appearance go.

17. 10. Loss of Sexual Desire
You may have little or no interest in sexual activities.

18. 11. Anxiety
You feel panicky, restless or agitated.

19. 12. Guilt
You have exaggerated self-blame or feel guilty
and don't know why.

20. 13. Withdrawal
You want to stay away from people and activities.

21. 14. Hopeless
You may feel there is nothing that can be done
to help you and/or a feeling worthless.

22. 15. Suicidal Thoughts
From brief thoughts of wishing you
were dead to contemplating suicide.

23.  Right now you might be thinking,
“There are drugs that can help me
with these problems?” “What could
be so bad about taking medication
for my problems?”
23

24. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices recently published a study
in the journal PLoS One (Public Library of Science) highlighting the
prescription drugs that cause patients to become violent.
Less depressed...maybe...
AND
MORE VIOLENT!!!
Here’s what they found:

25. Increase in violence compared to all other Rx drugs
Pristiq - 7.9 times increase in violence
Effexor - 8.3 times increase in violence
Luvox - 8.4 times increase in violence
Paxil - 10.3 times increase in violence
Prozac - 10.9 times increase in violence
Top-ten List of most dangerous
prescription drugs includes
5 antidepressants:
The ISMP report indicates that, according to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration’s (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System, many popular Rx drugs
are linked even to homicides.

26. ‘Side’ Effects of Lexepro
Well at least antidepressant drugs
don’t have any
side effects...right???
• Headache - in up to 24%
• Nausea - up to 18%
• Ejaculation problems - up to 14%
• Extreme tiredness - up to 13%
• Insomnia - up to 12%
• Dry mouth - up to 9%
• Fatigue - up to 8%

27. ‘Side’ Effects of Celexa
• Nausea - in up to 21% of people
• Dry mouth - up to 20%
• Drowsiness - up to 18%
• Insomnia - up to 15%
• Increased sweating - up to 11%
• Shakiness (tremor) - up to 8%
• Diarrhea - up to 8%
• Ejaculation problems - up to 6%

28. ‘Side’ Effects of Prozac
• Insomnia - in up to 33% of people
• Nausea - up to 29%
• Weakness - up to 21%
• Headache - up to 21%
• Diarrhea - up to 18%
• Loss of appetite - up to 17%
• Drowsiness - up to 17%
• Anxiety - up to 15%
• Nervousness - up to 14%
• Shakiness (tremor) - up to 13%
• Dry mouth - up to 12%
• Decreased sex drive - up to 11%

29. ‘Side’ Effects of Paxil
• Ejaculation problems - up to 28%
• Nausea - up to 26%
• Insomnia - up to 24%
• Drowsiness - up to 24%
• Weakness - up to 22%
• Dry mouth - up to 18%
• Headache - up to 18%
• Constipation - up to 16%
• Decreased sex drive - up to 15%
• Increased sweating - up to 14%
• Dizziness - up to 14%
• Diarrhea - up to 12%
• Shakiness (tremor) - up to 11%

30. ‘Side’ Effects of Effexor
• Nausea - in up to 58
• Headache - up to 26%
• Drowsiness - up to 23%
• Dry mouth - up to 22%
• Dizziness - up to 23.9%
• Insomnia - up to 22.5%
• Nervousness - up to 21.3%
• Loss of appetite - up to 17%
• Body weakness - up to 16.9%
• Sweating - up to 19.3%
• Constipation - up to 15%
• High blood pressure - up to 13%
• Ejaculation problems - up to 12.5%

31. ‘Side’ Effects of Wellbutrin
• Agitation - up to 31.9%
• Weight loss - up to 28%
• Dry mouth - up to 27.6%
• Constipation - up to 26%
• Headaches - up to 25.7%
• Nausea or vomiting - up to 22.9%
• Dizziness - up to 22.3%
• Increased sweating - up to 22.3%
• Shakiness (tremors) - up to 21.1%
• Insomnia - up to 18.6%
• Appetite loss - up to 18.3%
• Blurred vision - up to 14.6%
• A rapid heart rate - up to 10.8%
• Confusion - up to 8.4%
• Hostility - up to 5.6%

32. So Antidepressants are not that safe and
they all have significant ‘side’effects similar
to the symptoms of depression...
At least they are effective...Right?

33. “For less severely depressed patients, antidepressants
were found to work no better than placebos, leading the
researchers to conclude that most patients who take
antidepressants probably shouldn't be on them.”
- February 2008 in the Journal: PLoS Medicine

34. "There seems little reason to prescribe antidepressant
medication to any but the most severely depressed
patients, unless alternative treatments have failed to
provide a benefit,"
- Irving Kirsch, PhD, of England's University of Hull.

35. 35
So drugs are not the answer, as a
matter of fact they may cause more
of a problem.

36. 36
Isn’t it true that most people
are happy enough. Not
everyone can be happy ALL of
the time, can they?

37. Its normal to be ok all the time.

38. Once I reach all my goals and dreams I will be
happy.
When I have all the things I want I will be happy.

39. Chronic fatigue: My disease causes me to be this
way.
39

40. Withdrawl: I’m just not a people person. I need
time alone.
40

41. Insomnia/sleep too much: I’ve always been a light
sleeper. I’m just not a morning person.

42. Irritability: My parents were like that, people just
annoy me.
42

43. Anxiety: It’s normal to worry. I just have a lot of
energy.
43

44. Suicidal Thoughts: Everybody dies, why is it so
wrong to think about it?

45. Indecision: I like to keep all my options open.
45

46. Hopeless: It’s normal to feel this way in this
economy, in this day and age
46

47. Appetite problems: I’m too busy to eat. My
family is big.
47

48. Digestive problems: I just have a bad stomach.

49. Guilt: I’m Catholic/Jewish, what’s wrong with
being a perfectionist.
49

50. Here are the 10 secrets that happy people know.
50

51. 1. Happy people are excellent storytellers and
they tell the stories about their lives where they
are the hero in the story.

52. 2. Happy people have rules about lives them
selves and others that make life winnable.
52

53. 3. Life consists of
rhythms of contraction
and expansion. (range
of emotion just because
you don’t feel happy
one minute it doesn’t
mean you won’t be
happy again)
53

54. 4. Happy People Know that they create their own
happiness and don’t rely on others for their
happiness.
54

55. 5.Happy people know that happiness is an inside
job and their use their bodies and specifically
their spine to access it. The more flexibility and
access you have to your nervous system, which
is directly related to your spine, the more
resources your mind and your body has to create
the happiness you desire.

56. 6. Happy people know that the purpose of
emotion is to take action
56

57. 7. Happy people know that negative thoughts are
there to remind you you are off focus, focus on
something else.

58. 8. Happy people know that contributing the
community is a key to sustaining happiness.
58

59. 9. Happy people are consistently seeking inter
connection which leads to outer connection and
ultimately community.

60. 10. Personal growth is one of the key ingredients
to be happy. You must to invest in your own
personal growth.
60

61.  Do you know people who have reached their
goals and are still not happy?
61

62. Polling data from Gallup throughout the
1950s shows happiness levels above what
they are today, suggesting that our extra
wealth has not brought extra well-being.
- BBC The Happiness Formula Mark Easton

63. Can you be happy with negative thoughts?
One idea is to massively increase access to a
relatively new form of psychotherapy called CBT
or cognitive behavioral therapy, which aims to
help people avoid dwelling on negative thoughts
and find ways to overcome them.
63

65.  Do you know people who are healthy and not
happy?
65

66.  Do you know people who are struggling
financially and are happy?
66

67. Do you know people in other parts of the world
have nothing yet they are very happy?
Bhutan – last country in the world to introduce TV to the population in 1999. They
banned international wrestling and MTV because they believe they do little to promote
happiness.
They banned plastic bags and tobacco on the grounds that they make the country less
happy. People found traffic signals to be frustrating so they went back to human beings
directing traffic.
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68. 68

69.  Get to bed as early as possible. Your body (particularly your adrenal
system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11
p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this
same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into your liver, which
can further disrupt your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity,
people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and
which nature intended for humans as well.
69

70.  Don't change your bedtime. You should
go to bed and wake up at the same times
each day, even on the weekends. This
will help your body to get into a sleep
rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep
and get up in the morning. Grab a book
instead, allow your mind to relax
 Put your work away at least one hour
before bed (preferably two hours or
more). This will give your mind a chance
to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling
calm, not hyped up or anxious about
tomorrow's deadlines.
70

71.  Take a hot bath, shower or sauna
before bed. When your body
temperature is raised in the late
evening, it will fall at bedtime,
facilitating slumber. The temperature
drop from getting out of the bath
signals your body it’s time for bed.
 No TV, internet browsing or video
games right before bed. Even better,
get the TV out of the bedroom or even
completely out of the house. It’s too
stimulating to the brain, preventing
you from falling asleep quickly. TV
disrupts your pineal gland function.
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72.  Many times your stress response is on
overdrive. Finding a professional who’s
specialty is working with the body’s stress
response can help your body to adapt more
efficiently and create the peace you need to get
a good night’s sleep. Certain forms of
acupuncture, massage and cognitive behaior
therapists can be of benefit.
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73.  More specifically a doctor of Chiropractic who
specializes in Network Spinal Analysis or NSA
can help your body’s stress response. These
professionals work specifically with your spine
to increase flexibility, release spinal
disturbances and self-regulate the nervous
system. As you begin to become aware of how
you use your energy, how and where you
breathe and how you move, you will begin to
see the choices you have and the actions you
can take to transform your life.
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74.  Read: reading improves cognitive
function, and keeps your brain
fresh and able to learn.
 Play chess: the best gymnastics for
your brain is to play chess, or any
game requiring strategy to win.
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75.  Do memory exercises. Like any muscle in your body, if you don’t use it,
you lose it. Crosswords, sudoku and many online games are designed to
make you think, and remember. Play them to not only maintain, but
increase your memory capacity.
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76.  Many times when we lose our focus it is due to
an over stimulated nervous system. Too much
information can bombard your brain function.
Seeking out a specialist who works with your
nervous system’s function can help your brain
to focus better. Some specialized cognitive
therapists, acupuncturists, and massage
therapists can be helpful.
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77.  A doctor of Chiropractic who specializes in
Network Spinal Analysis can help you become
more aware of how you focus. They work
specifically with your spine to increase
awareness, release spinal disturbances and self-
regulate the nervous system. As you begin to
become aware of how you can refocus your
mind, you will begin to see the choices you
have and the actions you can take to transform
your life.
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78.  Meditate: spending a few
minutes a day in silence and
stillness helps calm the mind,
creating a space of peace for
yourself. Whether it be silent,
with sounds or with
affirmations, try different
methods to find the right one for
you.
 Journal:take a few moments
each day to write your thoughts.
I strongly suggest you make a
list of at least 5 things in your
day you are grateful for. Can’t
find 5? It illustrates what you
focus on!
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79.  Listen to motivational material. Speakers like Anthony Robbins have lots of great
material to help you align your thoughts in a more constructive, positive way. In
your car, or during a power walk, listen up and revitalize yourself.
 Don’t watch the news: sensationalistic journalism is the plague of modern news, if
its all bad news, its not worth watching.
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80.  Find a professional that works with the
nervous system or life force. When the nervous
system is overstressed you use parts of the
brain that create mostly negative thoughts.
Chiropractors who specialize in NSA can help
with this. It will center your body and help
you to keep positive thoughts.
80

81.  Journal your eating patterns. When and why you eat. Your hunger levels, what
emotion are you feeling when you eat.
 Add some activity to your day. Walk up the stairs, park farther away at the store.
81

82.  Find an eating plan that works with your lifestyle and is practical. If you are ready
and want to you can do something more intense.
 Join a gym, get a trainer.
 When you make a change in diet and exercise make sure you do it at least for 3
months to really know if it is working.
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83.  Get out and meet people and do non eating activities. This will make you more
happy too.
 Journal how you feel before you eat, after you eat, where and when you are eating.
What is your energy level after you eat good food versus junk food. Journal what
foods give you more energy versus those foods that drain your energy.
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84.  Find time for yourself to meditate, read inspiring stories of people’s
personal transformation. Go for quite walks, have a space in your home
where you can go to change your thinking
84

85.  When the nervous system is in defense it does not
process your food as effectively. You will overeat
when in defense. Your body will not process nutrients
efficiently, and will create fatty tissue as a result of
adapting to this defense physiology. Certain forms of
chiropractic, acupuncture and massage can help the
body release these defensive tensions. Network Spinal
Analysis helps you to be aware of these defensive
patterns, adapt to the stress that may be causing you to
gain weight and allow you to make more healthy
decisions about your diet and your life.
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86.  Get up and move. Go for a walk, go dancing, go for a bike ride, MOVE. (link this
to ENERGIZING the body)
 Do some yoga classes, Tai Qi or other energy based activities.
 Change your diet. Eating too much sugar and junk food can effect your energy
levels. So does alcohol consumption.
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87.  Listen to music that makes you feel energized.
 Get enough sleep. Studies show that we need at least 7-8 hours of sleep for restore
our bodies and minds.
87

88.  Change the way you breath. Be aware of how and
where you are breathing or not. Focus your attention
on your breath and how it effects your energy. There
are professionals that can help you with this. Yoga
instructors, hypnotherapists, chiropractors, massage
therapists, acupuncturists, etc.
88

89.  More specifically a doctor of Chiropractic who
specializes in Network Spinal Analysis or NSA
can help you to increase your life force. These
professionals work specifically with your spine
to release spinal disturbances and self-regulate
the nervous system. This will make more
energy available for your use to increase your
quality of life.
89

90.  Learn meditation techniques to calm your worries.
 Take a yoga or tai chi class.
90

91.  Look for a well respected, hypnotherapist. They can help retrain your thoughts.
 Make sure you are getting enough quality sleep.
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92.  Avoid eating junk food, especially sugars, they will make you more anxious.
 Decrease the caffeine intake. It will only make you more shaky.
 DONT FIGHT THE ANXIETY. We know that resisting and fighting the anxiety
will only make it worse. The first step is simply being aware, and acknowledging it
is there.
 Avoid drinking alcohol and using illicit drugs. They will make you feel more
disconnected and alienated.
92

93.  Look for a professional that works with life
force, a chiropractor, acupuncturist, etc. When
you are anxious you will drain your life force
and not have much to live with. Professionals
like chiropractors who specialize in NSA, will
help you.
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94.  Your next step:
 Email Dr. Michele at
drmichele@backtowellbeing.com
 Or if you are ready call the office at 239-949-
1222 for the next available appointment.
 We look forward to serving you.
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