One of the most desired recipes, the secret of which everyone would like to know, is the recipe for happiness. Is it possible to learn to control and provoke joyful feelings? The answer is Professor Loretta Breuning, author of books on the «hormones of happiness.» The editors of Psychologies visited her lectures.
In the animal world
“Happy hormones” do not work smoothly: turning on briefly when the appropriate situation arises, they dissolve after performing their function. Therefore, mood swings should not be considered as a pathology or illness, these are normal changes in the emotional state associated with the internal processes of the body.
From an evolutionary point of view, high spirits cannot be the goal. The main task is to survive. The processes occurring in the body are similar to those that occur in mammals. Loretta Breuning, using the example of the animal world, examined the work of each hormone in order to show why, according to the idea of nature, certain biologically active substances were created.
Dopamine associated with reward. In the animal world, rewards are primarily food. The hormone is released when food is in the animal’s field of vision, but has yet to be reached. It promotes the release of energy, which is spent on the pursuit of the victim. Dopamine provides psychological reinforcement until the goal is reached.
Oxytocin also known as «love hormone», «attachment hormone». One word to describe it is trust. In the world of mammals, an individual that lets someone close enough to itself runs the risk of being eaten. Physical contact is possible only if there is high trust. In the animal kingdom, the support of the herd is essential for survival. Therefore, the brain rewards good emotions for being inside a group of its own kind, safe, and this reward is oxytocin.
Trying to stimulate the production of “hormones of happiness”, we use old recipes that are borrowed from childhood
But a difficult dilemma arises: to stay within the team and share food for everyone, or go alone to the fertile pastures? It is worth fighting off the herd, as the level of oxytocin drops.
Serotonin associated with the pleasure of dominance in the herd. For thousands of years, living side by side with animals, people constantly note a high level of competition among them. Animals always seek to dominate. Luckier individuals get more reproductive choices, more food, and more offspring. The proximity of victory causes pleasant feelings, and these feelings are serotonin. However, this hormone should not be associated with aggressive behavior, it is a marker of calm confidence in superiority and strength. If a monkey reaches for a banana, it means that it is sure that it will be able to defeat competitors claiming the same fruit.
Endorphins helps hide the pain. It is necessary to survive in emergency situations. It can be compared to domestically produced morphine. It is produced only when the animal crosses the pain threshold. A zebra injured by a predator can run for another 15 minutes thanks to endorphins, until awareness of pain overtakes it. So she gets a chance to save. Fortunately, a person does not need to mutilate himself to get an «endorphin high.» A little of the hormone is produced from laughter and a tiny amount from any physical activity.
In the world of people
The fragility of hormones and the limitations associated with their manifestation make life a series of ups and downs in mood. In an effort to stimulate the production of these hormones, we unconsciously use old recipes, neural pathways that are borrowed from childhood.
Most habits are formed before the age of 8 and during puberty. This is due to the high concentration of myelin. The myelin sheath protects neurons and increases their efficiency, so we think everything is easy and fast. Unfortunately, in adulthood, the old proven ways cease to lead to the production of «hormones of happiness.» But we do not want to abandon them, because laying new paths takes a lot of effort. If you think of the brain as a jungle of neurons, cutting a trail is not an easy task. Even if today you succeeded, tomorrow it can grow again.
But if you travel the same way every day, you will eventually find a path that is easier to follow. Of course, you won’t get a freeway. This is the difference between a child and an adult: as an adult, it takes courage to cut small paths, while as a child you can easily run into a freeway.
If you feel that the movement towards a goal has stopped, switch to another
This does not mean that all past experiences gained in childhood should be forgotten. It must be constantly reviewed and left with what works. Let’s figure out how to lay new neural pathways.
Dopamine. To create a dopamine circuit, you need to choose a goal and go towards it in small steps. Moving in the right direction, you will experience pleasant feelings. In order to dispel the doubts of those who have tried everything, but have not made progress, Loretta suggests watching a video about mountain goats that climb a gentle and seemingly impregnable rock, stubbornly stepping step by step.
It is not always easy to get off the ground, so the author advises setting three goals at once: short-term, medium-term and long-term. If you feel that the movement towards a goal has completely stopped, switch to another and again get pleasant dopamine emotions. To produce a hormone, small steps are enough towards the goal.
Oxytocin. Oxytocin bonds are created through a gradual movement towards building trust. Here, too, small steps are enough. There is a belief that it is useful to smile at strangers and hug them. But Loretta notes that this advice should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, we remember that in the animal world, a sense of security plays a key role. The people you see for the first and last time are unlikely to help and protect in the future. It is important to strengthen relationships with loved ones, to make sure that they will be there at a difficult moment, will not be left without attention and support.
Building trust is a complex process. Taking a big step is scary, but by making regular attempts, no matter how small, you can achieve what you want and get a shot of oxytocin. A classic example: a divorced couple who need to agree on further interaction for the sake of common children. Agreeing to minimal concessions from each side, people step by step go towards each other.
Everyone wants to feel unique. But this is impossible: all people cannot be unique at the same moment.
Serotonin. We remember that the source of serotonin is confidence in one’s own superiority. Many have old recipes that worked effectively as children. For example, for someone in their youth, sporting achievements were a source of confidence. Or, on the contrary, a person in his youth did not succeed in anything, and this became a source of self-doubt. But adult life is equally difficult for both, because the achievements of the past no longer interest anyone.
In addition, we all want to feel important and unique. But this is impossible: all people cannot be unique at the same moment. The best thing you can do is constantly tell yourself that there is no tragedy in the fact that this is not your moment of glory, but someone else’s. Also, you don’t have to wait for the world to recognize your uniqueness. After highlighting a few strengths, celebrate excellence yourself. Spend one minute three times a day focusing on your strengths. For the rest of the time, you can continue to worry about your own weaknesses and the strengths of other people.
Another piece of advice from Loretta Breuning: Don’t compare yourself to others. Rest assured, your inner mammal will constantly push you towards this. But it is enough to remember that the experiences you are experiencing are just a legacy from the behavior of ancient animals. Remind yourself that this is not critical, this is how the brain works.