Of all the emotions, happiness is the one scientists least understand.
In this article, find out the recent developments in the neuroscience of happiness. What stood out for me was:
"Research in psychology has shown repeatedly that the ability to regulate one’s emotions is essential for a happy life. While we may strive to be rational and in control, emotions are an indissoluble and essential part of our psyche. The great personal search, then, is how to defeat our inner enemies, to achieve control over our negative emotions. Although many psychologists and neuroscientists decry as unsupported sensationalism what has been known as the “power of positive thinking,” in fact several serious studies, using functional brain imaging techniques to observe the brain during sadness and happiness, have shown that distinct parts of the prefrontal cortex are involved in the volitional suppression of negative feelings."
So: CHOOSE HAPPINESS, MISERY IS OPTIONAL.
Here are more compelling excerpts:
"Rats that were implanted with electrodes in certain areas of the brain learned to press a lever that would deliver pulses of electrical stimulation to these areas. Most of the experimental animals were so taken by the stimulation effects that they would not even stop to eat, drink, or rest, but would press the lever at fantastic rates until they were totally exhausted. They would even cross electrified grids to reach the lever.
The phenomenon of self-stimulation of the brain occurred only in certain parts of the subcortical brain, not in others, showing that specific structures processed motivational input; the nucleus accumbens was one of the most active. Stimulation of the nucleus accumbens in humans elicits smiling, laughter, pleasurable feelings, happiness, even euphoria.
What is the secret to the behavior elicited by stimulation of the nucleus accumbens? The answer is dopamine, which is involved in functions ranging from motivation and reward to feeding and drug addiction."
"A second breakthrough in understanding the neural basis of positive emotions came in the 1970s, when [it was] discovered that our brains produce endorphins, a kind of internal morphine composed of a sequence of amino acids. Receptors for endorphins, called opiate receptors, can be found in several parts of the brain. When released by the pituitary gland and by neurons in the hypothalamus, endorphins suppress pain. In addition, pleasurable feelings that accompany actions such as eating chocolate, laughing, smiling, touching, meditating, singing, listening to good music, and even orgasm are partially attributed to the brain’s release of endorphins."
Lykken, a neuroscientist discovered we all have a happiness set point, yet can receive joys that exceed this setpoint.
"After our moments of bliss, back we go to our previous level of happiness, our set point. This oscillation appears to be the way of life, but a more enduring state of happiness is possible if we persist in helping our positive emotions to prevail.
Science has shown again and again that being happy is good for your mind and your body. Happy people are more confident, optimistic, energetic, and sociable. They are also better prepared to deal with difficult situations, are more enjoyable to live and to work with, and have a higher capacity for pursuing their aims and acquiring the means to achieve them. In addition, happy people appear to be healthier and live longer. For instance, just recently Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D., of Carnegie Mellon University published a study confirming his earlier discovery that people who are happy or exhibit other positive emotions are less likely to become ill when they are exposed to a cold virus and, when they do catch a cold, they have fewer symptoms."
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