In a society as demanding as the one we live in, which often demands more than it returns, it is easy for our emotional health to be affected . Especially if we live with “happymania”, that is, the obsession with being happy.

For only a few decades now, congratulations have been everywhere: scientific research, best-selling books, our status on social networks… It only takes a glance around to see that we have endeavoured to create a happy story of our lives.

Are antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs the solution to our sadness and anxiety?

It seems that it is forbidden to be unhappy, when it is impossible to be happy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In modern societies such as the United States, for example, the consumption of psychotropic drugs such as prozac, called the happiness drug, is increasing year by year. Depression and anxiety are the order of the day, which is why few people are not familiar with drugs such as tranquimazin or valium.

But fighting our sadness or anxiety with these drugs alone is not an effective strategy: does not eliminate suffering, but rather calms the symptoms for a while . This is what the book called Seneca’s Prozac, a work with a philosophical-psychological basis, aims to explain. For its elaboration, the author, Clay Newman , has been inspired by Seneca’s revealing phrases, the maximum exponent of Stoicism. His thoughts are a source of wisdom for happiness.

A book with therapeutic dyes

This book is a kind of medicine, a form of therapy to help us live a little better . Because as the author states: “we have never been so rich in the material, but so poor in the spiritual”. The idea of this text is to leave behind drugs such as prozac or valium and build a more adaptive personality, as well as helping people to be mentally stronger.

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A book to make us aware that medication is not the solution to emotional maladjustments. Because it is more useful to know the causes of the discomfort and to work to stop suffering. Seneca’s Prozac promotes the stoic philosophy and provides the necessary dose of wisdom to learn how to be happy . Newman argues that values such as humility, self-acceptance, compassion and trust, among others, are inherent in the human condition. However, it is necessary to know this philosophy and have the necessary will to make it effective.

In short, it is about leaving behind what prevents people from being happy. This literary work allows us to develop honesty, humility and awareness, compassion, detachment and acceptance.

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Seneca’s Prozac: some sentences from the book

Below you can find some of the best sentences from this book.

1. Life doesn’t care what you want. Its function is to give you what you need at all times

Life takes into account how we adapt to our environment, not our desires and our motivations. It’s you who has to fight for your dreams.

2.Since you share the lack and the feeling of emptiness, you love others to the extent that they fill you and give you satisfaction

We tend to look for satisfaction in others when we should be focusing on what satisfies us . A great lesson for life.

3.The purpose of your life is to learn to be happy and at peace with yourself in order to love life as it is

Working on self-esteem and self-acceptance is one of the keys to happiness.

4.True security is not related to your external circumstances, which are governed by universal laws that you cannot control. Rather, it is an internal emotional state that allows you to live with confidence, courage, and bravery

Creating a strong personality is only achieved when we are at peace with ourselves.

5. Is there anyone you don’t like or can’t stand? Someone who just by looking at him or her makes you feel bad? If so, I welcome you on behalf of the collective of the human race. You have just identified one of your “spiritual teachers”

We are human and we feel emotions that sometimes are not entirely pleasant.

6.The best thing you can do for mankind is to be happy and learn to be at peace with yourself

When you are good with yourself, others will also notice it in a positive way.

7.The only Truth that deserves to be capitalized is Love

Love is an experience that can make us immensely happy or tremendously unhappy.

8.True detachment arises when you understand that no one makes anyone happy

Dependence on others is inversely proportional to happiness.

9. Are we perfect? Why then do we demand perfection from others?

We can be very demanding on others when, in fact, no one is perfect.

10.Adversity is an occasion for virtue

Bad times are occasions for growth that we should not miss.