Sci and happiness poll

spaceboy · 06-30-2004, 03:06 PM

Since your injury are you:

booster · 06-30-2004, 03:16 PM

This is a very interesting poll!

tegdirb · 06-30-2004, 04:26 PM

great poll spaceboy. i think there's a lot of factors involved in the way someone answers--time of injury, how injury happened, how long since injury, outlook on life, how people treat you (strangers and loved ones), level of injury (dependence/independence), etc. etc. i don't think it's such a clear cut answer when we look at each individual's background.

i took a poll on here titled 'are you better now', a while back. i think results were about 70% NO and 30% YES. most who answered yes were just more aware of disabilities and that made them somewhat better persons, but that's about it.

Some might tell you there's no hope in hell just because they feel hopeless, but you don't have to be anything like that...~Dave Mathews~

Curt Leatherbee · 06-30-2004, 06:57 PM

I voted much sadder person on the whole than I was pre injury. If it were not for the chronic pain I think I could be more happy, but the pain kind of puts a damper on my life unfortunately.

spaceboy · 06-30-2004, 07:21 PM

yeah you hit the nail on the head bridget... it's a complicated question. One which I'm not sure how to answer myself... for all the factors you discuss. But I would bet that we wouldn't find happiness based on level of function.

The knee-jerk reaction is to say,'man, my life sucks... I can't feel/move a majority of my body, I've lost my independence, blah, blah, blah'... but at the same time I feel I'm a miracle to be here... that if I had lived during the vast majority of the human history, say pre 1960-ish, my body would be fertilizing daisies right now.

I've definitely learned much about the preciousness of life and the sheer kindness and compassion of people that I never knew, or rather fully appreciated, pre-sci. ..i'm pretty confident that i am no less happy than a year ago before my injury when I had everything that we conventionally think of for one to be happy. Granted I've had the resources and support to make that possible, and I think that is what quite possibly makes or breaks the sci experience.

I still check the cure forum religiously everyday and am kept awake some nights by my enthusiasm for the upcoming therapies that I fully believe will one day get us back on our feet again. But does a cure equal a lifetime of happiness? Is it necessary for fulfillment? I get from some people that it is and others that its not. My opinionis it's kind of like money... you can't buy happiness, but I'll be damned if it doesn't make a hell of a lot easier.

"The essense of greatness is the perception that courage is enough." R. Waldo Emerson

Christopher Paddon · 06-30-2004, 07:40 PM

that's great spaceboy

but did you really have to lose so much to appreciate how precious life is?

My gripe is we lose a lot of what is precious and as we age we age much quicker than AB - and we can'r get those years back cure or no

duge · 07-01-2004, 03:48 AM

I voted a much sadder person

Because I am, I was a very active person on the farm, yard,garden, and at work but this has all changed. I'm like Curt if the pain would just go away, I think I could be a little better, because what i'm using for the pain is graduly stoppping working and the pain is getting worse.

T-12 incomplete 10-3-02

fuentejps · 07-01-2004, 06:29 AM

i voted same as preinjury. i have a great life, great health, great family, just like before. but i cant wait to walk. my glass is always half full.

spaceboy · 07-01-2004, 07:54 AM

289 views, and 44 votes.... c'mon people!

"The essense of greatness is the perception that courage is enough." R. Waldo Emerson

marco25 · 07-01-2004, 08:07 AM

Great poll, spaceboy. Just wanted to say I've checked in several times but haven't voted because I'm AB. I suspect there are many like me out there who're looking but not voting.

View Poll Results:
On the whole, i lead a MORE FULFILLED in life post injury.	14	16.28%
I experience the SAME level of happiness as before my injury.	15	17.44%
I am a SADDER person on the whole than i was pre-injury.	26	30.23%
I am a MUCH sadder person because of sci.	25	29.07%
I am clinically depressed because of my sci.	6	6.98%
Voters: 86. You may not vote on this poll

06-30-2004, 03:06 PM	#1
spaceboy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: greensboro, nc Posts: 229	Sci and happiness poll Since your injury are you:

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06-30-2004, 03:16 PM	#2
booster Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: somewhere, tx USA Posts: 856	This is a very interesting poll!

06-30-2004, 04:26 PM	#3
tegdirb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,123	great poll spaceboy. i think there's a lot of factors involved in the way someone answers--time of injury, how injury happened, how long since injury, outlook on life, how people treat you (strangers and loved ones), level of injury (dependence/independence), etc. etc. i don't think it's such a clear cut answer when we look at each individual's background. i took a poll on here titled 'are you better now', a while back. i think results were about 70% NO and 30% YES. most who answered yes were just more aware of disabilities and that made them somewhat better persons, but that's about it. Some might tell you there's no hope in hell just because they feel hopeless, but you don't have to be anything like that...~Dave Mathews~

06-30-2004, 06:57 PM	#4
Curt Leatherbee Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 9,298	I voted much sadder person on the whole than I was pre injury. If it were not for the chronic pain I think I could be more happy, but the pain kind of puts a damper on my life unfortunately.

06-30-2004, 07:21 PM	#5
spaceboy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: greensboro, nc Posts: 229	yeah you hit the nail on the head bridget... it's a complicated question. One which I'm not sure how to answer myself... for all the factors you discuss. But I would bet that we wouldn't find happiness based on level of function. The knee-jerk reaction is to say,'man, my life sucks... I can't feel/move a majority of my body, I've lost my independence, blah, blah, blah'... but at the same time I feel I'm a miracle to be here... that if I had lived during the vast majority of the human history, say pre 1960-ish, my body would be fertilizing daisies right now. I've definitely learned much about the preciousness of life and the sheer kindness and compassion of people that I never knew, or rather fully appreciated, pre-sci. ..i'm pretty confident that i am no less happy than a year ago before my injury when I had everything that we conventionally think of for one to be happy. Granted I've had the resources and support to make that possible, and I think that is what quite possibly makes or breaks the sci experience. I still check the cure forum religiously everyday and am kept awake some nights by my enthusiasm for the upcoming therapies that I fully believe will one day get us back on our feet again. But does a cure equal a lifetime of happiness? Is it necessary for fulfillment? I get from some people that it is and others that its not. My opinionis it's kind of like money... you can't buy happiness, but I'll be damned if it doesn't make a hell of a lot easier. "The essense of greatness is the perception that courage is enough." R. Waldo Emerson

06-30-2004, 07:40 PM	#6
Christopher Paddon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: New Zealand Posts: 3,207	that's great spaceboy but did you really have to lose so much to appreciate how precious life is? My gripe is we lose a lot of what is precious and as we age we age much quicker than AB - and we can'r get those years back cure or no

07-01-2004, 03:48 AM	#7
duge Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,446	I voted a much sadder person Because I am, I was a very active person on the farm, yard,garden, and at work but this has all changed. I'm like Curt if the pain would just go away, I think I could be a little better, because what i'm using for the pain is graduly stoppping working and the pain is getting worse. T-12 incomplete 10-3-02

07-01-2004, 06:29 AM	#8
fuentejps Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: OHIO Posts: 8,989	i voted same as preinjury. i have a great life, great health, great family, just like before. but i cant wait to walk. my glass is always half full.

07-01-2004, 07:54 AM	#9
spaceboy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: greensboro, nc Posts: 229	289 views, and 44 votes.... c'mon people! "The essense of greatness is the perception that courage is enough." R. Waldo Emerson

07-01-2004, 08:07 AM	#10
marco25 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Louisiana Posts: 2,912	Great poll, spaceboy. Just wanted to say I've checked in several times but haven't voted because I'm AB. I suspect there are many like me out there who're looking but not voting.