What is true happiness?

[WalkingOnDisaster]

Hi. Just curious. Feel free to continue to answer the question rather than read my rant.

I live as a religious person. I don't blame you for ot being one. I just am. But something that crosses my mind alot is this: How can any of us, religious, rasist, sexist or otherwise know happiness? I got raped every day for two years, and I get sexually harrassed by my brother. I can't see myself knowing happiness. Is there a point in finding happiness?
When I think of happiness I think of love. Cheesy and cliche I know. But it's true. If you love someone you're happy, right? Well, in the like manner, how do any of us know if that's true?
I don't know how to measure true happiness, quite possibly because I myself never felt it. If you have please share your secrets!

Thanks for reading and commenting! Bye!

[Horizon]

I am sorry to hear that you had gotten raped, and sexually embarrassed, my condolences to you.

Also, when you're in love, that doesn't mean you'll be happy. That is very circumstantial, but so are a lot of things in life.

The point in finding true happiness is... Well, being happy is a great feeling, and finding it is even greater. I feel the one way to true happiness is doing what you love, and love what you do. It's not always easy to accomplish that though, because life is very unpredictable, we almost can't prepare for what will happen next.

[Jaller]

Happiness is a matter of perspective and therefore is undefineable

[Cicero]

I believe true happiness is having loving and caring family and friends and having good finances and having peace of mind and no jealousy or sadness.

[clarksonian]

My version of true happiness is complete comfort with your mind and body. Being fine with your sexual orientation and confident in who you are. That is happiness in my eyes

[workingatperfect]

It varies from person to person. For me, true happiness will be when I'm with my boyfriend and we're in love, have a family that we can give the best life we can. Close friends, close family. Basically when I'm surrounded by people that really love me, and I love them. And also, being able to love myself is a big thing for me. Liking where I'm at, as far as occupation and location...

I think it's when you look at your life, and there's no major thing you would want to change.

[xDarkAngelx]

I'm not sure about true happiness being such a thing maybe with being in love but I guess more a feeling of contentment with the life your in.

[Gigablue]

For me, happiness comes from knowledge. Obviously family and friends are important, but the main goal in my life is to acquire knowledge.

[saturnine]

Scientifically, happiness can stem from the chemicals you release in your brain. Traumatic experiences can prevent the idea of happiness, but you know, I personally was a cutter and I visited hospitals and multiple sessions of therapy, group and one on one. I still have not found that I am completely content.
The idea of "true happiness" is something that varies from person to person based on interests and personality. There are things that would make me happy, like if I were successful and could be self sufficient. Not that I don't enjoy my family or anything, but having my own house and job/career or maybe even company is my dream. I enjoy helping others and aiding in advice despite my small age number. I really, really enjoy reading about science and space and watching people play video games along with playing them myself.
Essentially, there are a lot of things that make me "happy" but true happiness is something I have not found, and I am striving to find. Based on what I know right now, happiness does exist- regardless of traumatic events and/or depression. If it's any consolation, I hope you are able to find help here, and I am very sorry about you having to experience such things like rape.
Moral of the story, I honestly would reach true happiness if I were living on my own, healthy, successful, and working in a field of jobs that have to deal with my own personal interests. I would also love to be somehow gaining knowledge of anything and everything everyday, which I have now. It's called the internet.
I get the idea of love and it's contribution to happiness, but I think that true happiness cannot derive from codependency on others.