In the recent "Mental State of the World" report by the Global Mind Project, Malaysia has secured the fifth spot as one of the happiest countries worldwide.
Photo via The Star
The report, as detailed by the New Straits Times, drew insights from a massive survey encompassing more than 400,000 individuals across 71 nations. This extensive research endeavor was spearheaded by Sapien Labs, a notable American nonprofit organization dedicated to neuroscience research.
The evaluation methodology employed in the study involved the application of a Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) to assess various dimensions of participants' mental health. Individuals were categorized based on their MHQ scores, which spanned from "thriving" to "distressed." Malaysia exhibited a commendable MHQ score of 85%, marking a notable increase of 2.9% since 2022.
Outlined below are the top five happiest and unhappiest countries derived from the study:
Happiest:
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Dominican Republic
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Sri Lanka
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Tanzania
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Panama
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Malaysia
Unhappiest:
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Uzbekistan
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UK
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South Africa
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Brazil
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Tajikistan
The report also underscored a concerning trend wherein mental wellbeing persisted at its post-pandemic low, showing no signs of reverting to pre-pandemic levels.
"In 2023, both globally and within individual countries, MHQ scores exhibited minimal fluctuations compared to 2021 and 2022, following a steep decline during the pandemic era," highlighted the organisation.
Photo via Sapien Labs
This observation raises pertinent inquiries regarding the enduring repercussions of the pandemic, along with the collective impact of lifestyle changes such as remote work, increased online interactions, elevated consumption of processed foods, and heightened reliance on single-use plastics on our mental wellbeing.
Sapien Labs further elucidated that younger demographics, particularly those under the age of 35, bore the brunt of declines in mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas individuals aged over 65 demonstrated relatively stable mental health indicators.
