section_path: Effects/Positive
section_name: Positive
paragraph_text: Positive
  
  There is a wealth of cross-sectional studies on happiness and physical health that shows consistent positive relationships. Follow-up studies appear to show that happiness does not predict longevity in sick populations, but that it does predict longevity among healthy populations.
  
  Other positive effects of happiness and being in a good mood, that have been studied and confirmed, are that happier people tend to be more helpful, attentive, and generous to others, as well as to themselves. Happy people also have been shown to act more cooperatively and less aggressively, and be more likely to help others in need. They were also found to be more sociable and communicative.
  
  More positive effects that happiness seems to evoke are creative problem solving, persisting through challenges, more intrinsic motivation for work related or responsible tasks, and being more effective at using efficient decision-making strategies.
  
  While some believe that success breeds happiness, Lyubomirsky, King and Diener found that happiness precedes success in income, relationships, marriages, work performance, and health.
  
  Low mood is correlated with many negative life outcomes such as suicide, poor health, substance abuse, and low life expectancy. By extension, happiness protects from those negative outcomes.