Tricking your happiness deprived brain into everlasting happiness

Long time no see ! The past few months have been a disaster, and I have been nothing less than a trainwreck. But this is me, back on my blog writing yet another article for all my fellow readers.

Everybody has been a trainwreck and felt the urge to gain access to everlasting happiness, and as I have been through similar low feeling days, I decided to cheer myself up by distracting myself by my fav neurobiology topics and write an article based on the human brain, the ways to tricking it into everlasting happiness.

From the low times…

Being a neuro fanatic person, I have always enjoyed co-relating the way the human brain functions, to the most basic choices a person makes; one of which is deciding to stay happy by letting go, or holding on tight to stay depressed. In these past few months, I have made choices that have taught me plenty of lessons; one of which includes, if you start listening to ‘wise’ people and change your ‘built-in’ perspective towards life and people, you mess up badly. The other lesson being ‘don’t be blind if you are blessed with two working eyes and a vision’. As lame or weird as this may sound, I ain’t kidding. There have been days where I was adjusting myself in the eyes of people I was afraid to lose, a society to satisfy and make happy; and these same days, people turned my life upside down into a trainwreck that took time to recover.

For the love of neurobiology and the fact that everyone is alone in this fight, I decided to read about the psychology of the brain in depressing times. This article is a summary of it and a guide towards tricking your brain into everlasting happiness.

What role does the brain play in negative emotions and how does it do it ?

Beginning with it, have you wondered what negative emotions actually are ? How does the neurochemistry of the brain change in the times we feel low ? Why do we recall negative emotions quickly and for a longer time, as compared to positive emotions ? What makes our brain vulnerable to negative emotions ?

Negative emotions are the emotions that change the way the neurotransmitters function in the brain; whereas positive emotions change the same neurotransmitter in a similar, yet positive way. Negative emotions cause nervous system chaos, whereas positive emotions cause the nervous system to message the neurotransmitters to work towards alignment.

When we are sad or depressed, the chances that we are living in the past are 100%. As per studies, 90% of our daily thoughts are from yesterday in which 70% are negative. Thus, the negative thoughts and days without happiness that you experience are a result of such thoughts based on the past. Negative emotions from the past are often accompanied by stress and guilt. Talking in neuro terms, guilt and stress is nothing but over expression of cortisol in the brain. Higher levels of cortisol, lower levels of dopamine and serotonin lead you towards depression.

Ways to tricking your brain into everlasting happiness

You cannot stop the production of hormones inside your body, or train your brain physically into not producing these hormones responsible for your low times. What you can trick your brain into, is everlasting happiness. A self realization that there is no one who is going to come save you, and that you are your own savior will turn tables. It is difficult to achieve a mental state of happiness when all you are surrounded with is negativity or toxic people, but it is not impossible. No matter how much you have suffered till date, your life story isn't and shouldn't be doomed to suffering.

I am aware that you have already read or heard plenty of advice to help you get rid of the negative emotions. But I am pretty sure you have either tried it just once or twice, or procrastinated on it by thinking that it won’t help. But trust me, keeping yourself busy in something that makes you happy and keeps you distracted is the first step towards tricking your brain.

When deprived of happiness, doomed by depression, all that we must focus on are the things that bring us happiness, no matter how small they are, because often smaller things lead to bigger ones. Be it listening to music, treating yourself with your favorite food, watching a series you enjoy the most, playing an instrument, or reading a book do it all by yourself without relying on someone else.

You are responsible for your own happiness, people are a part of it, you are the whole and sole of it. The most essential lesson I have learnt in the past few months is that you are responsible for your own happiness. It’s just you who will be there for you through everything; irrespective of how many people you have close to you, some battles are meant to be fought alone and the day you realize this will be the day you will conquer the depression and loneliness demons and pave your way towards happiness.

Brain happy chemicals and how to hack them like a boss :

As exaggerated the subtitle may seem, I approach this ‘hack’ with positivity. Happy Brain chemicals aka neurochemicals aka happy neurotransmitters play an essential role in the psychology of a person. In order to be happy, devoid of negativity, the following happy brain chemicals are essential :

ENDORPHINS : The pain reliever neurochemical. Regular exercise, laughing, yoga, meditation, music or art are the few activities that can boost the endorphins and help you hack your brain into happiness.

DOPAMINE : The simpler neurochemical. This is the simplest chemical to hack. You can prepare a list of your daily to-do tasks, or try something new you have always wanted, and in no time you shall have hacked your brain into happiness.

OXYTOCIN : This love hormone will not require a partner. As I am asking you all to be responsible for your own happiness, asking you to talk to your loved ones will be against the principles of this article. Thus, practicing self love, self affection is what you will need to do, in order to hack the brain into long lasting happiness. After all, self love is important before loving others.

SEROTONIN : This mood stabilizing neurochemical is yet another simple chemical to hack the brain into happiness and satiety. Meditation, peace of mind, balanced diet and regular exercise are it’s simple to-dos for you to focus on.

So my fellow readers, this was me trying to explain how to trick your brain into everlasting happiness and getting yourself out of the negative doom. I believe this article has helped you at least 1% to prioritize your way to achieve happiness.

PS : I have been through tough times, but got through them because I was tougher than the times I was faced with. God never puts its weak soldiers into battle sight, which is why he chooses the toughest soldiers for the toughest wars. When surrounded by heap of troubles and negativity, be thankful for those times; for those are the times that will sculpt a best version of yourself, a tough version which you never knew existed within you. Irrespective of the number of times you have been doomed to suffering, you are meant for much more, happiness and everything soothing, all you need is to trick your brain towards achieving it.

Your world is what you make it, irrespective of what has happened to you or is happening beyond you; thus, rely on yourself for happiness and achieve them by hacking the brain chemicals working within you. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN, BE ON YOUR OWN !

- Rachna Jadhav

@theresilientresearcher